Much Ado About Nothing: Xtreme Legends
by ghostdominion6
Summary: Expansion pack to 'Much Ado About Nothing.' With the fighting (and the mind-screw) apparently over, life goes on as normal. Witness the loosely-connected everyday lives of our dear heroines: Some cheerful, some rather lugubrious. All the while, a mysterious force begins to surface, threatening to plunge Gamindustri- and the script- into chaos forever... or worse...
1. Welcome Back!

_[A mysterious gust of wind blows in your ear. You faintly hear the following message: "Thank you for stopping by! I am honored; I truly am. Before you continue on, though, just know: This story will contain potential spoilers for all things Hyperdimension Neptunia and Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2, along with the previous stories, As You Like It and Much Ado About Nothing. Just needed to throw that out there. Enjoy, and good day..."]_

_[In an instant, the quiet whisper fades from your ear, and you are left to ponder what the wind meant... Er, and you feel a slight nagging sensation of déjà vu. Leaving no other alternative, your eyes scroll down past the following horizontal line break...]_

* * *

'Twas an average morning in Gamindustri when the world shook. One action would shape the fate of the universe in a whole new direction forever. However, those at the center of this calamity trigger had no knowledge of the scope in which their actions would reach.

Yes, for on this otherwise-average morning... Oh, wait, nothing world-shakingly important is going to happen today. Whoops, my bad...

You see, faithful readers, this story is not a pure sequel to Much Ado About Nothing; No, you could think of it more like an expansion pack, if you will. Oh, important events will take place over the course of this narrative, but most of it will merely be a setup for a future installment that hopefully will arrive (as long as this author(Who?) manages to stay alive).

Either way, let's be off...

Three lone figures ventured down a long-withered road, the cruel sun bearing down incessantly on their skulls. Three vagrants, with no landmass to call their own, now spent their days traveling from city to city, looking for a chance to make a name for themselves.

At long last, the trio came upon a small rural village to the far west of Lowee. Hm... I guess they're somewhere around Iris Field, if that means anything to you...

The self-proclaimed leader spoke. "Whelp, I guess we can stay here for a bit. Look, there's a well over there, so we'll have water, I guess..." A brown-haired young man proclaimed, exhaustion clear in his voice. The man's name was Adrian, and if you read the previous story, then he needs no introduction... But, if you don't remember him, then more power to you. I'd rather forget everything about this sad sack of a man...

The two men next to him sighed. "Ugh... I really want to be with Nisa right now..." The one named Almaz moaned.

The third man, Alex, groaned. "Oh, for the love of Pete, will you please stop complaining!? Listen, Mother betrayed us; We never had a shot with those lasses! Fretting about it will get us nowhere..." Although the man spoke resolutely, it was clear that he was similarly bitter over not winning Nepgear's heart.

Again, if you read the last main story (namely, the long-ass school chapter that dear Underling narrated for a time), then you may remember Alex and Almaz as well... They, er, didn't really do much besides getting their asses tossed several feet away. They, along with Adrian, are "Operational Companions," clones created by the Almighty Diety... uh, DEITY!... of Sin. Their purpose: Seduce the CPUs and their friends, which would restore the dark goddess back to full life. Long story short... her plan failed. Big time.

Adrian pat his companions' shoulders with his hands. "Hey, perk up men! One day, the bells will toll in our favor!"

"...What the hell does that even mean?"

"I think he wanted to sound deep, or something."

Alex and Almaz were clearly in low spirits. Adrian could only sigh.

"Hey, c'mon, guys! At least we've got each other, right? Us OCs have to watch out for our brethren, you know?" The other two merely nodded in silence.

Hm... so I wonder what their day will entail? Why don't we find ou- Oh, whoops... I made another mistake: These three brown-haired young men aren't the main characters! We have something else to witness today!

...Though I do wonder why we're even showing this scene in the first place...?

Uh... Wow, I'm really out of sync with all of this. It's been a bit since the last time I actually sat down and read from a script; Surely you understand?

...Well, let's get this show on the road already!

This... Is...

**Much Ado About Nothing: Xtreme Legends!**

* * *

**THE HEROINE AND THE ALCHEMIST**

Nisa stirred in her sleep; Yet another restless night, it seemed. Fighting crime sure takes its toll on the body and mind. Why, even the strong-willed heroine of justice has a weaknes- Huh? Oh, come on!

I messed up again: There's an entirely different reason that Nisa is stirring in her sleep...

Nisa slowly opens her eyes and briefly looks around the room. It wasn't hers, that's for certain. She was about to sit up, but a violent headache surfaced throughout her temples at that very moment.

"Hngh! Geez, why's my head so sore?" She asked blatantly to no one in particular. Never before had she felt such pain in her head, and this heroine had been knocked unconscious a mere two days ago! It was then that she realized that she had no recollection of the night before. Just what had happened last night?

...Ah, so this scene picks up directly where Much Ado About Nothing left off. That... makes no sense to me, b-but we'll get back to that!

Now, instead of looking around further and getting down to the bottom of this mystery, the heroine of justice buried her head in her pillow and tried to close her eyes. However, sleep was not in her near future...

Something brushed lightly against the heroine's backside. "Wh-Wha!? W-Who goes there!?" Nisa shrieked at the unexpected contact. A light sigh sounded from behind her head; Someone else was sharing this bed with her.

Nisa hesitantly turned her head and laid her eyes upon the figure slumbering next to her. It took a moment for the realization to fully sink in...

"...Oh my Goddess!" Nisa cried once more. The girl right next to her slowly opened her eyes and smiled pleasantly, obviously coming down from a warm dream. After a few seconds, though, her eyes widened, and she fully snapped back to consciousness.

"N-Nisa? W-What is Gust doing here?" Gust asked with clear confusion, shocked at finding herself snuggling against her best friend.

"I-I-I could ask you the very same thing!" The heroine retorted, sweat breaking out all over her body. Instinctively, she jumped out of bed, trying to collect her thoughts.

That simple act, though, revealed far too much. "Ah! Why is Nisa nude!?" The alchemist cried as she innocently shielded her eyes.

Nisa, horrified at her sidekick's reaction, let her eyes drift down to her own body. Indeed, the protector of the righteous was very naked... I'm covering my eyes! Honest! "A-A-A-Ah! D-Don't look, faithful sidekick!" She hastily attempted to cover herself.

"Too late for that!" Gust yelled, her eyes sealed shut. "...Though, not much to see..."

"H-Hey! H-How dare you say such a thing!?"

Gust simply smirked and slowly crawled out from under the covers. She stood up and began to walk around the room, investigating their whereabouts further. "Hmm... We seem to be in some hotel... Ah, that's right: Stupid Nisa brought Gust to shady hotel last night!" Pleased at her findings so far, the alchemist continued to snoop around the entire room.

All the while, Nisa's face had turned entirely crimson. You see, her best friend had revealed far too much when she stood up, as well. "F-Faithful sidekick... Why are you...?"

Gust turned her head to the heroine and gave a questioning look. "Why is Gust what?"

"Why... are you also in the buff!?"

The young alchemist cocked an eyebrow, then looked down. Yep, you guessed it: She was as nude as her best friend! ...I-I'm still not looking! No, really! ...The poor girl could only stare in horror, unable to utter a sound.

It was then that the blue-haired heroine noticed... 'IT'. "G-G-G-Gust... What is... THAT?" She pointed at an object that was sitting on the ground by the foot of the bed (which was shaped like a heart, by the way).

"W-What is what? Let Gust take a look..." And the alchemist did. She walked in front of Nisa and bent down towards the object, forgetting her lack of clothing. Upon closer inspection of the... thing, the poor girl gasped. "A-Ah! Why is this in our room!?"

Nisa's head felt like it needed to explode, both at the thought of why that censored object was in there, and at the sight of her exposed sidekick. Gee, this is getting risqué... I apologize if any of you are weirded out, but I have a feeling it's only gonna get worse from here. What an opening chapter!

Cautiously, the alchemist picked up the object by a loose strap and brought it up for them both to study... Now, this script here is much more concise, and vividly detailed, but... it would probably squick you all out. Hell, it's squicking me out, and you know what I've done in my day! To put it softly, in the hopes that it will not alienate anybody even further, let's just say that the censored object showed very visible signs of... use. Wear and tear, if you will... O-Ok, let's move on!

After a long moment, Nisa and Gust slowly lifted their heads to look in each other's eyes. Both girls were clearly coming to the same conclusion, the revelation that would shake their worlds upside down.

"Me... You...?" Nisa stammered. After another stretch of silence, she screamed even louder this time. "AAAAHHHHHH!"

Gust, too, took this moment to holler like never before. She sprang away from the heroine, cowering in the corner for protection. "You...! What did you do to me!?" The alchemist shouted as she pointed an accusing finger at her best friend.

"M-Me!? H-How do you know I did something? As far as I know, you're the one who desecrated my virtuous self!"

"Gust was victim here! Not you!"

Nisa squinted her eyes and stared slyly at the alchemist. "...If I was such a villain last night, then why did you stay? Surely you would have fled..."

Gust glared at the blue-haired crime-fighter. "What are you saying? That Gust wanted this to happen?"

"I'm certainly not saying that you were against it!"

"Ugh... forget it..." With that, Gust reached to rub her hat, but was frightened to find that it was no longer on her head. "...Nisa..."

"...What, dear sidekick?"

"...Where... is Gust's HAT!?"

And thus, the alchemist burst into a fury unlike anything the heroine had ever seen before.

"H-Hey! Little Gust, please calm down! Everything will be alright!" Nisa said in an attempt to quell the girl's rage, and, without thinking, quickly ran over to hug her friend. "There, there... It'll all be ok..."

Hm, how interesting... It appears the out-of-control Gust must've awoken some form of guardian reflex in the heroine...

Too bad the instinctive action only served to make the situation worse.

"A-Ah! Let go of Gust, you... pervert!" The alchemist shouted as both girls' naked bodies were pressed together. Man, if this isn't blatant fan-service, then I don't know what is... How old are these two again?

Nisa, remembering too late that they were both nude, immediately sprang away. Her face a deep crimson, she quickly found a towel that was conveniently hanging from a pole, covered herself, and headed for the door. "S-Sorry..." She whispered, and then snuck out of the room.

After the door slammed shut, Gust sighed and flopped down upon the bed. Her head was in complete disarray, and her heart was beating a mile a minute. How could she and Nisa have done something so... vulgar? No, that wasn't the word she truly wanted to use.

Intimate; That's it... Being intimate with the heroine of justice, her best friend... She couldn't get it out of her head...

Worse yet, though... Gust was torn over whether she regretted this all... or not. Frankly, the thought of what she and Nisa had done last night intrigued the alchemist more than anything ever had before. Perhaps... the world wouldn't end if anything else were to happen in the future...?

These thoughts made the young girl blush furiously, and she desperately tried to cleanse her mind. "S-Stupid bumpkins..." she whispered to the morning air...

Perhaps trying to calm her nerves, the alchemist reached for the television remote... and made quite the interesting discovery...

* * *

Morning was much calmer in another room in the highest-rated love hotel in all of Lastation...

One girl, with majestic purple hair, slowly opened her eyes and yawned rather unladylike. Seeing the calm slumbering girl next to her, she smiled, and nestled her nose against her cheek.

"Lindy~" She cooed softly. The green-haired girl simply mumbled, and turned to face the other way. "Lindy... You're not gonna sleep in all day, are ya?"

Underling groaned slightly. "...So what if I do? You gonna stop me?"

Nepgeo replied by pressing herself closer to the ASIC member and kissing her neck. "...Nah, I'll let you rest if you'd like. You sure took a beatin' last night, after-all." She said slyly, tongue firmly in cheek.

Linda blushed and flipped back around, now face-to-face with her lover. "Hey, I got back at ya, didn't I?"

"Heh... You sure did... That was the best I ever felt, well, ever..." The purple-haired imposter hugged the woman with all her might and kissed her forehead. "...We should do that again sometime..."

"Y-Yeah... We should..." At that, Underling and Nepgeo embraced in a tender kiss, their minds filled with the wondrous scenes from last night that you'll probably never see in their entirety.

After a few beautiful minutes, the lovers broke apart and stared lovingly into each other's eyes. Finally, Nepgeo spoke.

"Linda... Can you make me a sandwich?" Hm... How romantic...

Underling's eyes opened in surprise. "W-Wha? Sandwich? What, nothing romantic like 'Let's dress each other again!' or 'Give me a rub down, Lindy-baby!'?"

Nepgeo snickered. "Teehee... I can't help it; A girl's gotta eat, y'know! Besides, after some breakfast..." She teasingly brushed a lock of hair out of Linda's eyes, "...we can do whatever you'd like. The day is ours~"

Underling gulped in anticipation and gave a swift nod. "S-Sure, I guess... I'll get ya a damn sandwich." The ASIC member hopped out of bed and hastily put on her standard attire.

"Thank you, Lindy~" The purple-haired imposter cooed with a wink. Linda merely grinned and left the room, unsure of what type of sandwich would suffice, let alone where she could go to get one.

Stepping into the silent hallway, the ASIC member resolved to head down to the main lobby, both in the hopes of finding some grub and to ensure that Pirachu had made it through the night okay. Damn, nearly forget he was hiding in a clichéd mouse-hole.

However, her journey would have an unexpected detour...

On the way to the main lobby was, of course, the fateful vending machines that sold both fine alcoholic beverages and censored objects of all shapes and sizes. Underling couldn't help but feel embarrassed as she remembered actually using one of these machines a mere few hours ago.

But, no, the machines were not the total highlight of her morning foray for food; The girl crouched before them was the interesting sight.

"Flatty? The hell's wrong with you?... And, uh, what's with the towel?"

Nisa slowly turned her head to her former(?) enemy, looking utterly defeated. "Oh... hey Underling..."

Linda could only react in shock to the girl's lack of energy. "Uh... Wow, it's really weird to hear myself ask this, but, are you okay? Wanna... talk about anything?" A most unusual scenario indeed.

The heroine closed her eyes and shook her head. "I can no longer call myself a heroine of justice, Underling. Why, I took advantage of my own sidekick last night..."

"T-Took advantage...? You don't mean...!?"

Nisa slowly nodded, clearly filled with shame. Underling knelt beside the downcast girl and... casually slapped her on the back.

"Hey, look at you! So, ya finally punched your V-card, huh? Guess luck is really shapin' up for us flat chicks... If I wasn't disgusted over thinkin' of you in bed, then I'd totally congratulate you!... Wait, so what's the problem? I figured that you would take whatever you could get..."

"S-Shut up, Underling! I... Gust and I are best friends... What if this one confusing night ruins everything!?" The heroine directed her eyes downward. "I can't lose Gusty..."

Seeing Nisa so torn up really shook Underling to the core; If the girl wasn't hammily spouting calls for justice, then things just didn't feel right. She awkwardly placed a hand on the heroine's shoulder.

"H-Hey, don't think like that! Y-You know... If I was in your sidekick's shoes, then I would be... honored to have... slept with you last night...!" Jeez, Linda felt weird after saying that. Hell, I felt weird just hearing it!

Nisa stared confusedly at her former enemy. "Uh... What are you saying...?"

"Don't look too far into that! I'm just sayin'... maybe she doesn't think being with you would be such a bad thing... I mean, there are worse girls to fall in love with..."

The heroine's eyes slightly brightened up at hearing the ASIC member's words. "You... You really mean that, Underling?"

Linda bashfully scratched the back of her head. "O-Of course! I hate your guts, but... you're a good chick, Flatty."

"W-Wow... Thanks, Underli- no, Linda. That... really means a lot." Newly invigorated, Nisa hopped back onto both feet. "Yes... I shall go back to fair Gust right this instance!"

"G-Good... But, stick with 'Underling', ok? Hearing you say 'Linda' is just... so wrong..."

"Fair enough, Underling; It felt wrong, frankly..." With that, the heroine of justice was off.

Linda sighed. "Well, that was weird... Did I just play matchmaker for one of the brats? Ugh, what's wrong with me...?" And so, the ASIC member went back to her search for a sandwich... No, I don't think we'll ever see how this gets resolved...

* * *

In record time, Nisa returned to the room, and was pleased to find that Gust was still there. In fact, she too had wrapped herself up in a towel! ...Did the script really need to point that detail out? Crap, I feel extra dirty today.

Upon seeing the heroine re-enter, the alchemist quickly sat up. "N-Nisa! You came back!?"

"Indeed I did, dear Gust, for there is something that I must get off my chest!" The upholder of the righteous proudly proclaimed. I'd say something snarky right now, but I'll pass.

"Y-Yeah... Gust needs to say something too..."

Nisa nodded and flopped down onto the bed next to the alchemist, smiling warmly.

"Um, dear sidekick... I admit, I do not recall what transpired last night, but... I must take responsibility for it. As such, I... hope you accept my apology. A heroine of justice has no right to allow whatever happened... to happen. I hope you still wish to be friends..." The heroine passionately confessed.

Gust hid her face from her friend and shook her head. "No, Nisa... There's no need to apologize..."

"But I must, faithful sidekick! I have wronged my best friend!"

"No... You haven't... Nisa did nothing wrong..." Gust continued to hide her face from the heroine, who began to feel more confused as the seconds passed.

"Little Gust..."

"...Nisa, Gust has been thinking, and... came to conclusion." The alchemist lifted her head, revealing the embarrassed expression that occupied her face. It was the first time Nisa had ever seen her friend look like that.

"W-What conclusion did you come to, comrade?"

The alchemist didn't speak, but instead launched herself on top of the heroine. Their faces were mere centimeters apart.

"G-Gust!? W-W-W-W-W-W-W-What are you doing!?"

"...If I make mistake with Nisa, then it should be memorable..."

"H-Huh!? A-Are you seriously suggesting...!?"

Gust didn't respond. Instead, she moved her face closer.

The heroine of justice gulped, quite unsure what to say. Just what the hell had gotten into Gust? Has she been drinking more of that juice?

"D-Do you know what you're asking!? I mean... Gust, if we do this, then... things between us won't ever be the same! Are you absolutely sure about this?"

The alchemist smiled disarmingly and nodded. "Gust is quite sure, Nisa. H-Here... Found this while you were gone..." With one quick motion, the girl picked up a television remote that was sitting beside them on the bed; Hmm, I was curious to what little Gust had found whilst channel-surfing in Nisa's brief absence. The television snapped on, and immediately a video of... two amorous ladies began playing. The video appeared to be of pretty amateurish quality... Damn, can't even make out who the two women in the video are... N-Not that I want to know, or anything!

"What the...! Y-You've put some thought into this, huh?" Nisa asked, bewildered by everything that was going on.

"Uhum... T-Thought it would add to the mood."

"W-Well... it certainly does..." The heroine watched the two women in the video for a second, and heard the sounds they made that I won't begin to describe. Huh... I swear I recognize the voices of those girls on the television. Odd... Er, uh... Finally, her mind came to a conclusion: "...Ah, what the hell... Let's go for it, dear sidekick... That is, if you think you can handle this heroine of justice..." Well, I must say, Nisa broke easily. How did she change her mind so suddenly? Did... she already have rampant feelings for Gust before all this happened? But even so... this all seems rather convenient, doe it not? ...Damn, I keep straying off script. I apologize if my ramblings disorient you... Hm, so what does it say next?...

...And with that, the two girls performed the same act as they did last night, though now they were both sober... Huh, interesting...

So, wait... does that mean that they're another official couple? This story's not actually gonna go down the... 'Pair the Spares' route, is it!? Only time will tell, I guess...

But... would Nisa and Gust normally act this way? I mean, was it just me, or did all of that play out... weird? Like, those two girls were more prone to acting... different, than ever before? ...Huh, maybe I'm just weirded out over the alchemist looking like a child... Wait, is she a kid, or not!?

...Hey, wait! So, this took place the morning after the end of the last main story, correct? But... I can assure you, it's been quite some time since that last event; Why, I'd reckon it's been nearly a year in Gamindustri time from my perspective! I mean, the seasons changed, Christmas came and went... I always thought this script was in somewhat real-time, but I guess that's no longer the case? Interesting... This new author is one mysterious fellow...

**THE HEROINE AND THE ALCHEMIST**: **END**...?

* * *

Back in some village to the far west of Lowee, the three young men had taken refuge in an abandoned hut. They purchased some bread from a local market with what little money they actually had, and sat down in front of a fire.

...Wait, why are we back to focusing on these guys? What the hell?

"Man, this sucks! Why do we hafta live like bloody pilgrims?" Alex groaned, taking a huge bite out of his loaf of bread.

"We should be thankful for what we have, I guess. The less fortunate don't even have cheap-ass bread to eat." Almaz said rather unenthusiastically, sipping some well water.

Adrian sighed. "Guys, this is only gonna get worse if we keep moanin' about things! Things'll pick up soon, I promise!"

"Yeah, sure..."

"Whatever..."

Morale was at an all-time low...

...Not for long, though...

A knock sounded at the cheap door of the hut. The young men looked at each other timidly, worried that some landlord was going to kick them out.

"Shit, I'm not answerin' that!" Alex said, frantically waving his hands.

"Yeah, um... neither am I!" Almaz also assured.

"You guys are hopeless... Fine, I'll get it..." Adrian stood up and cautiously opened the door. "Yeah, whaddya want?"

On the other side of the door was a woman wearing a large dark witches hat, and rather elegantly colored clothing... although very little of her was left to the imagination. Her eyes were blood-red, and made Adrian feel as if they were sucking out his soul.

The devious figure spoke. "Ah, hello boys... How I've missed you." The demon lightly brushed the back of her hand against the young man's face. He shuddered at the cold touch, but instantly felt a sense of familiarity swell up within him.

Alex and Almaz were intrigued by the visitor, and walked closer to get a better look. "What the...!? Is that...?"

The dark presence merely smirked, and opened her arms wide. "My, how you've grown! Why, I remember when you were all but mere nothingness in a test tube!"

Adrian's eyes widened as he came to a sudden realization. "M-Mom? Is that... really you?"

The witch on the other side of the door, Arfoire, simply smiled.


	2. Sincerely?

_"...Damn it... Damn it, Neptune; How do you do this to me?"_

_Lady Black Heart was pacing up and down the aisles of a first-class supermarket on Lastation, mumbling to herself. Huh... I wonder what's going on?_

_"Ok... Darn, this is too much... I-I've never felt like this before... I-I just get so weak whenever I think about..." She shook her head and sighed._

_"...What's wrong, my fair lady? Boy trouble?" Came a voice from behind the goddess. Noire turned around and came face-to-face with a young woman, who had long, billowing brown hair and bluish-gray eyes. Quite a looker, if I do say so myself..._

_"H-Huh? Oh... No, it's certainly not boy trouble..." The tsundere's cheeks slightly reddened, and she turned to hide her face._

_"Ooh, even more fun... Girl trouble, then?" The stranger was grinning slyly, knowingly._

_"W-W-What? How... H-How can you even insinuate that I'm-"_

_The brown-haired young woman raised her hands in front of her face. "Hey, it's perfectly alright. Believe you me, I know my way around the female body like you wouldn't believe; It truly is a beautiful thing for two women to love each other."_

_Noire's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "W-W-Wha!? D-Don't just go out and say things like that! That's..." Black Heart sighed. "...Yeah, it's girl trouble... I-I've had feelings for this one particular girl for the longest time, but I... just don't know how to tell her, or if I even should at all. Not only are we both girls, but... Well, let's just say that us being together would be quite the complicated challenge indeed."_

_The strange woman grinned knowingly again. "Ah, so you're a tsundere, huh? And this girl... She's a total boke; A ditz?"_

_"I-I'M NOT A TSUNDERE! ...But... I guess you have something of a handle on the situation..."_

_"Well, what's the worst that can happen? I mean, it's not like you two coming together would serve as some type of... calamity trigger, correct?" The girl was now smirking intensely._

_"H-Huh? Well... I don't know... I'm kinda worried, is all..."_

_"Oh, c'mon! Only good can come from you two joining together! Here... How about I give you some pointers? Some sure-fire ways for any tsundere to snab any boke?"_

_The tsundere cocked her head to the side. "...What kind of ways? N-Not that I'm interested, or anything..."_

_The woman chuckled a little. "Well, what does this girl of your dreams like the most? Although, I'm pretty sure I know..."_

_"Likes the most...? Eating, I guess... She always stuffs herself silly, and never gains a pound... I'd like to see that hold up in fifty years..."_

_"A big eater, huh? Well, that's easy: Make a whole lotta food, fresh-out-the-oven, just for her. Then, ya invite her to your house; Simple as pie."_

_"Warm food at my house, huh?... Damn, I can't; Kei would get too suspicious... Hm... but maybe I could go to her house... Yeah! No one else should be there during the day! I'll just... go to her house and give a cover story about why I'm there!"_

_"That's the spirit! Say you want her to taste-test it, or something... Or, say that the oven at your house was busted; The perfect tsundere cover!" The girl was grinning exceptionally now._

_"Yeah... Yeah, this can work! I can... I can finally maybe get my feelings off my chest..." Noire looked at the stranger and smiled softly. "T-Thank you for your help... Uhm, oh, silly me; I never asked you your name..."_

_The stranger rubbed the back of her neck and smiled bashfully. "Oh... I'm just a friend who has your best interests at heart..." She looked at the watch on her wrist, and gasped. "Oh dear, look at the time! It was nice talking to you, Noire, but I really must be going! Good luck!" And, without another word, the strange girl ran off._

_"...Who was that girl? And... how'd she know my name? She didn't exactly act like she knew I was the goddess..." However, her suspicions were pushed aside as she thought about her task. "...Well, anyways, I better get some food... And, I'll need to call Neptune, and see if I can visit her... N-Not like it's gonna be a date or anything! No, really, it's not!"_

_Er, who is she talking to now? There's literally no one else there, and yet she's acting like a total tsundere... Guess she needs to meet a certain quota every hour, or something..._

_...But wait, what's the point of this scene? And... when's it take place...?_

* * *

"M-Mother!? How the hell are you...? How are you alive?" Adrian stammered, clearly shocked beyond all reason. Seeing the Deity of Sin alive and well outside his door broke all semblances of common sense the brown-haired young man had. I mean, his head practically went 'Kaboom!'... Er, but I digress...

The witch shook her head. "My, my... Is that any way to address your mother, dear Adrian? Shouldn't you be inviting me in, or do you want my flawless skin to be scorched by the unforgiving sun?"

Alex leaned in close to Almaz. "If she's so worried about sunburn, then shouldn't she actually be wearing clothes?"

"...Ew, why is she wearing so little? That's just gross; She's our mother!"

Arfoire shot a glare at the two whispering boys, causing them to cower away. Unwavered, she spoke up again. "Surely you'll supply your loving mother with simple hospitality, no?"

Adrian raised a single eyebrow, scrutinizing the witch's face. "...You haven't ever tried to reach out to us like this before... Hell, I nearly forgot what your damn face looked like! Why the hell d'you give a crap about us now?" Behind him, the other two boys nodded nervously.

The Deity of Sin smiled as softly as she could muster, and ran a cold hand through her "son's" hair. "I am deeply sorry about that, my dear children... At the time, I lacked the power to appear before you; In fact-" She took a dramatic deep breath, as if she was trying to appear sickly, "-I can only muster enough strength to visit with you three for just a few more minutes. So, please, let me in so I can share with you some... knowledge..."

"...Knowledge?" Adrian questioned, and he moved aside to allow the witch to enter the hut.

Good ol' Arfoire took a seat on an old worn chair, and smiled deviously. "Indeed... I have a tool that can make your lives so much easier... Surely you could use more money, or a better dwelling?"

The three young men looked at each other in confusion. "W-What are you talking about? You sayin' you can help score us some cash?" Alex stammered, excitement flaring up inside him.

"Indeed... But you can earn so much more than mere cash..." The Deity of Sin reached into a bag she must have been carrying, and grinned again. "...What I am about to show you is an object of immense power. If this ever falls into the wrong hands, then the fate of the entire universe may be at stake... I would prefer to hold onto it myself, but, alas, I am unable to use it. But you, my sons... You are worthy enough..."

The young men crowded around the bag, eager to see what the evil woman was planning to show them. Slowly, agonizingly, she removed the powerful object, and displayed it for all eyes to see!

"...What?"

* * *

**THE ENGAGED OOCs(?)**

"Fwa... Fwa... N-Neptune...? You okay...?"

It was a familiar scene by now: The two CPUs sprawled out on the bed, reveling in the heat of the moment. And, of course, it is a scene that begins right after the actual interesting action took place. Yeah, go write your own explicit scene, why dontcha?

...

Hm... So, more of the same, huh? Yet another scene of Neptune and Noire in bed together? ...Doesn't that feel like a cop-out by now? I mean, it was the very first thing you readers ever saw in the beginning of this entire saga, and it's been replayed again and again since. Why couldn't something else take the spot of this scene? I mean, Nepgear and Uni fluff pieces are much less common; Can't we see more of them?

...But maybe it's what you readers want. Maybe everyone wants the same thing over and over again, except with miniscule design or stylish differences. Maybe change is bad... Maybe originality is overrated. If it ain't broke, don't fix it; That's what hip kids say nowadays, right?

...Er, but what do I know? Let's just see what script this new author is trying to sell to us...

Anyways, the key difference here is that Lady Purple Heart was oddly quiet. That... well, never happens.

Noire spoke again, as softly as possible. "H-Hey, Neptune! You still awake? Answer me!" Worried, she lightly shook the ditz laying beside her. Slowly, the purple-haired CPU turned her head.

"H-Hey, Noiwey... W-What's up?" I can already tell that something is wrong. The ditz's face looks... sheepish.

"You didn't answer me. I honestly thought I hurt you, for crying out loud!" The tsundere snapped, but a relieved expression washed over her face. However, upon closer inspection, she noticed the uncanny aura around her lover. "Eh, Neptune...?"

Purple Heart made eye-contact with Black Heart... and immediately darted her eyes away. "N-N-Noire! Your... Your face is really close..." Well, that was an unexpected reaction.

"W-What the?" Noire was also confused. "I-I really didn't hurt you, did I?"

"...N-No! H-How could you even manage to hurt me...? I-Idiot!" Another odd response. Noire's eyebrows raised, and Neptune's very red face turned away. "W-What!? W-Why are you staring at me...? What, is there something on my face?"

What the devil? What madness is this?

"Neptune...?" Now, Noire was pretty much always the serious type, or at least something like that. However, whether it was due to her hazy state of mind or her bottled-up emotions surfacing again, she got a somewhat-devious idea. "...I love you, Neptune... I love you so much."

The ditz's face was completely red by now. "W-W-W-W-Wha!? W-What are you saying!? D-D-Don't just spout embarrassing things like that out of nowhere!"

Lady Black Heart, as confused as she was right now, could only grin; She was going to have fun with this. "But it's true!" All the times Neptune had harassed her came crashing back to her. Without any further questions, she pulled out all the tricks that got her flustered before. "You're really cute, and... you have a really nice butt, too!" Ooh, impressive! She knows her stuff!

Neptune's brows furrowed uncharacteristically, and jolted back a bit in uncharacteristic shock... uncharacteristically. "S-S-Shut up! Just... shut up! ...I-I-I-I-Idiot! ...P-Pervert!"

Oh, but Noire wasn't done yet. Seeing her girlfriend act so odd was such a turn on, I guess you could say? But... the question still remains: What the hell's going on? Why is Lady Purple Heart... *gasp*... a tsundere now?

Lastation's CPU pulled the ditz(?) in close, and snuggled against her neck. "Ah, you're my witty-bitty Nepu-Nepu, yes you are!" Never before would she get caught dead speaking in such a humiliating way, but this night, the tables have turned!

"Hey! ...You're way too close..." Hmm... Neptune doesn't seem to be faking, though. What caused this...?

Anyways, Noire continued to exploit the situation to the best of her ability, until her head was completely clouded by the fuzzy feelings that had begun swelling up. At long last, it was time for her to actually ask some questions.

"..Whew, that felt good, for some reason... Anyways, that's out of my system now; What's up with you, Neptune? You don't seem to be playing... Are you ill?"

The (former?) ditz averted her gaze, acting as aloof as a naked woman in bed with another naked woman could be. "N-N-N-Nothing's wrong... You're the sick one, you... sicko!"

_'Hm... That sounds like something I'd say...'_ Noire thought deep inside her mind. It was then that she made the reluctant connection._ '...Neptune's always calling me a tsundere... N-Not that I am, or anything! It's like she's purposely acting like how she views me... Though, this doesn't feel like one of her acts... But why? How could that...?'_

...Well, this isn't an explicit story, so I guess I can't just describe the details to you dear (and perhaps young(?)) readers, but let's just say that Lady Black Heart fully realized what had just transpired between them. For whatever reason, both goddesses had felt much more... amorous... than on most nights, and their exploits were certainly more... involved than usual. That being said, the two 'went at it' with a vigor most intense...

...Perhaps, Neptune was... "'Noired' silly?" Yeah... let's go with "'Noired' silly"...

There, I kept it all PG... Hm, but this is an M-story, if I remember correctly... Ah, what the hell: The two screwed each other really hard, temporarily knocking Neptune out of her usual ditzy demeanor! There, I said it! Sue me!

"That's... either really adorable, or just plain creepy..." Noire whispered aloud, gazing curiously at her lover. "Huh... W-Well, if it's anything like how I feel after we... do it, then she should be back to normal by tomorrow afternoon... Nothin' to worry about, then!" And so, it was decided: Lady Black Heart would let her purple boo rest for the night, but come morning, she would have fun with this newly formed tsundere-ish attitude for as long as it remained!

New resolution in mind, the tsundere cuddled close against the temporary tsundere, further deepening the crimson shade overpowering her face. Still, the new Neptune wasn't all tsun tsun; After a while, she began to cuddle back just as strong. And so, night drifted away into morning...

...Oh dear... Already I can tell something horrible is afoot! This story, not even out of Chapter 2 yet, has already made Neptune act completely out of character, and transformed Noire into a complete and utter pervert. Wow, that escalated out of control quickly! There really must be a new author this time around, because nothing feels right, from the tired tone of the story, to the way that the girls are acting odd. Hell, even the way the words are organized are just... tedious, and lackluster. There's only so much my hasty dictation can accomplish! If the script is poor, boring, and just plain dry, then there's nothing my meager self can do!

...Oh well, let's move into the next scene... Still, I wonder what the point of this story is? Why are scenes of those boys interspersed with vignettes of our heroines? Are we going to be continually subjected to disjointed and confusing scenes the whole time? ...Huh, now that I think about it, disjointed and confusing sums up our past adventures quite nicely... E-Er, anyways!

Noire yawned, and flexed her arms as she rose out of bed. "Ah~... Morning, Neptune. Still acting all crazy?"

The ditz(?) sleepily opened her eyes, and turned away from the playful gaze of her lover. "C-Crazy!? Y-You're the one acting crazy! And... put on some clothes! I-It's not like I enjoy looking at-"

"'-you or anything!'... Yeah, I think I know the drill."

Neptune's whole face flared entirely red again, and she puffed out a cheek. "Hmph! You would know, you... pervert!"

Lady Black Heart smirked and lovingly pat Purple Heart's head. "Seems you'll be like this for a bit longer... It's really adorable, but now that I think about it, how do we explain this to the others? At the very least, your sis will definitely notice something is off." That is, if her sister appears in this chapter.

No response. Hm, does Neptune realize that she is now a tsundere, or is her mind entirely wiped for the time being? Such a peculiar case...

Noire sighed, then pulled the former ditz out of the bed. "C'mon, let's get dressed. We can't just stay in bed all day; That would give everybody way too many embarrassing thoughts..."

"...Hmph, fine! But, d-don't you dare look! Got it!?" Neptune pointed a very accusatory finger at her fiancée.

"Yeah, yeah... but you better not look either, then."

"I-I-I'd never do something as sick as that... unlike YOU!" She's really taking this whole 'tsun' thing and running with it, huh?

And so, the two lovers got dressed (with Neptune occasionally stealing a glance or two) and journeyed downstairs, where breakfast was waiting.

"Oh, good morning sleepyheads! Are you hungry? I made pancakes and tea!" Compa greeted, wearing an apron for the hell of it.

Histoire hovered over and held a finger up to signify a point. "We originally planned to make French toast, but..." An explosion sounded from the trash bin that instant, alarming the tome fairy and everyone else in the room. "...Oh my, it was worse than we thought!" Of all things holy, what the hell did they do to French toast!? Did those two ever have a bad cook shtick before? ...And wait, what the hell's French toast?

"Hm... Well, t-thanks for the food." Noire smiled, a visible cartoonish sweat-drop formed on the back of her head.

Guess how Neptune responded? "...W-Well, I-I didn't ask you to make anything for me! I can... I can make my own breakfast!" Shocking...

Compa's eyes grew slightly wide, and she simply stood in confusion for a moment. Crap, this is already spiraling out of control... Again!

Now, I guess Noire must've forgotten the entire part of the plot that SHE HERSELF brought up, for she blurted out something that made her cringe. "...Oh, Nepey! You're so silly, with yer... tsooney-dooney ways... Dah! I... I'mma cuddle with your face, y-yep!" And that, she did; Lady Black Heart energetically glomped the former ditz and uncharacteristically cuddled their faces together.

The (original) tsundere's flushed face made it all the more clear that committing this act was physically hurting her, but yet, she continued on. All the while, she shot several indecipherable glances towards Compa and Histoire, perhaps trying to get her point across...? I can only assume that Noire is trying to get them to think that she and Neptune had swapped personalities for the day, possibly as a result of some off-color dare... I guess it beat the alternative (truthful as it may be) that Neptune's mind was wiped due to some amorous yuri coitus... Um, if anyone actually knows the definition of 'coitus,' then they'll see that its use here makes no sense whatsoever... or does it...!?

...Whether her point got across to the confused women or not is up in the air at this point, but whatever the case, Compa and Histoire remained silent. Mission... accomplished?

"H-Hey! G-Get offa me! N-No one's allowed to touch my face!" Neptune blabbered out, struggling with all her might to escape the clutches of the fake ditz.

Black Heart winced, realizing she needed to have a retort to everything in order to completely sell the charade. Oh boy. "...Aw, yer so... adorable, my Nepu-Nepu bitty baby... H-Here, open wide; I'll f-feed you... in front of our friends..." She's just making this harder on herself...

"N-N-N-N-No! This is soooo embarrassing!"

And the morning slowly drawled on... I'm certain there were more scenes that were supposed to play out, but come on! It would just be the same crap over and over again!

...Sorry, it's just that this script feels like it's... actually draining the life out of me. Something about it just... makes me so... tired...

...A-Anyways, let's jump ahead to a few hours later to get this ball rolling. This new scene's on a quaint grassy hill in the forest behind Neptune's house(Huh, so that's where this took place all along... Why are we getting this crucial information now!? And hey, when does this take place, exactly?), away from the bustling city. A slight breeze swept through the trees, and the sun shone down in its brilliant glory...

And the tsundere and the former ditz were laying side-by-side, staring up at the clouds above... A typical scene for any other pair of lovers.

...Just not these two.

"...Noire?"

"Hm? Yeah Neptune?"

"...Why do you like me?"

Perplexed, Lady Black Heart rolled on her side to look directly at her lover. "Where's this coming from all of a sudden?"

The (former) ditz didn't answer right away, instead opting to look ashamed and turning her head away. "...I'm not smart, and definitely not pretty... Wh... Why do you even care to hang around with me?"

"Neptune..." The tsundere reached up to gently caress Lady Purple Heart's face. "...Do I need a reason?"

"H-Huh?"

Noire's face darkened a slight shade of red, but she was undeterred. She gave a genuine smile to the girl of her dreams. "I love you because you're Neptune... Everything that makes you who you are is just... so beautiful." A light kiss on the lips. "Sure, you're the craziest person I'll ever meet, but... that's what's so endearing about you. You're a complete and utter ditz, and..." Another light kiss. "...I love you."

Lady Purple Heart's face was now (if you needed it spelled out for you) entirely red, and a lone tear fell from her eye. "N-Noire... You really like my normal self? You wouldn't change any part of me at all?"

On any other day, Lastation's CPU would have tried to avoid romantic clichés like the plague. This moment, however, was vastly different; She felt like she could be as out-of-character as she wanted. She just didn't care anymore about staying within her expressional binds! "Of course not! I'm... getting married to everything about who you are! Your humor, your spontaneity, your warmth... I love everything about you, Neptune! When I'm around you... I don't care what others think about me. I-I feel like I can show my true feelings, without having to put on a show all the time... Heh, and I can say all these corny lines and not feel embarrassed about them..." Noire gazed lovingly into the (former) ditz's eyes quite intensely. "...I-I'm not agreeing that I am or anything, but... well, you're my boke, and I'm your... tsundere..."

"N-Noire... N-N-N-N-Noire!" Neptune began bawling, still quite uncharacteristically uncharacteristic. It's really creeping me out at this point.

Another loving embrace, and Noire lightly whispered into her fiancée's ear "...Corny as it sounds, you're fine just the way you always are, and I fall in love every single time I look at you... So, please, keep doing what you've been doing. You don't need to be a tsundere or anything else to keep my attention."

The (former?) ditz sobbed against the tsundere's bosom, and the two relished each others company in the relative tranquility of the wilderness.

Hm... Well, I guess that was a touching scene... Still, this whole chapter seems off still. I mean, besides Neptune being out-of-character in such a dramatic way, even Noire appears to be acting odd... Perhaps love really has changed the twintailed goddess for the better?

...That still doesn't sooth this uncanny sensation I'm picking up...

There's a little more here, so let's finish this up quick.

Neptune's tears subsided after a while, and the two lovers continued to lie under the sweltering sun. An indiscernible amount of time later, the ditz spoke up. "...N-Noire?... N-N-Noirey...?"

"Hm..? Yeah, Neptune?"

That short stretch of silence that seems like it's one second short of eternity... "...Heh, mah face is in yer boobies!"

In the blink of an eye, the loving atmosphere that had been built up just completely derailed, and Noire quickly pulled herself away from the clutching ditz. "Geez, and there you go again! How do you always ruin the moment!?" Regardless of her harsh tone, the tsundere's eyes were warm and caring. "...Still, seems like you've returned... It's good to have you back to your idiot self... ya big ditz."

Neptune sprang up, stretched her arms, and yawned. "Ah, of course I'm back, baby! Nobody wants to read a story with an out-of-character Neptune for too long, y'know?"

"...What are you talking about now? You're also good at confusing the hell outta me."

"If I kept on acting like a different person, then I might as well have been someone else! I'm sure somebody reading this knows what I'm talkin' about! Like him! Or her! Or even... **YOU**!"

"...What?" And so, Neptune unceremoniously reverted back to normal, the two lovers journeyed back home, and a bunch of readers probably wished for a refund of some sort.

Seriously, what the hell was that? Did the second installment of this story seriously feature a headlining plot about two main characters acting like completely different people, and then barely doing a thing to capitalize on it? Is this new author high?

...You know, how about I present you with a scene of my own? I need to make a point, if anything to make myself feel better:

_"Whew... you alive there, Neptune? Thought your head was gonna go POOF! or somethin'" Noire proclaimed to the night air. She lay stroking the purple-haired goddess' hair, exhaustion prominent in her actions._

_"Ye...yeah, I'm fine." Neptune quietly responded, her head still in the clouds. How many long, dreary nights had she spent yearning for this very moment? To hold her strong black-haired tsundere-blob in her arms, and to give herself up to her for the rest of eternity? Oh, how the pixelated angels must be smiling down upon her today!_

_"Awesome! Think you're up for another round?" Noire innocently asked, trying her best to look like a... little child? Her voice was rather loud at that moment, causing Planeptune's goddess to flinch a bit._

_"Ah! Don't speak so loud! S...someone will hear you!" Neptune retorted, hesitation present in her features._

_"I'm preeeetty sure someone would have heard us already, Nepey. I mean, a few minutes ago, it sounded like an entire orchestra in here~" With that, the purple-haired ditz blushed and looked away. Perhaps her passion had gotten the best of her. Why, these two joined goddesses were not the only ones present in this house that night. No, Nepgear, Histoire, and Compa were definitely somewhere in this dojo of newly found glorious love. What would they think if they had heard what had just transpired between these two rival Console Patron Units? Why, Neptune would probably die right on the spot._

_Either way, she couldn't even pretend to not want to take up Noire's offer; She'd accept it every moment of the day if that was physically possible. However, Neptune could barely hold on to her breath at this time. She sighed and looked at her new lover._

_"A...A...Anyways, you took a lot out of me tonight, so I... have to decline for now... But I'll be fine in the morning!" She exclaimed immediately, and flashed a sheepish smile afterwards. Noire grinned, and glomped Neptune with full power._

_"You're just too adorable, Nepey. Seeing you so desperate is awesome." She cooed happily while rubbing their faces together. "Hm, maybe we could do it in the shower tomorrow! Ooh, that'll be fun!" The black-haired girl declared, even louder than she had spoken before._

_Neptune blushed a deeper red than she ever blushed before, which had happened a lot on this fateful evening. "Quiet! Geez, you idiot..." she mumbled, though with a smile forming at her lips. The two star-crossed lovers gazed dreamily into each others' hazy eyes. Lo! Has mere mortal eyes ever glimpsed upon an angelic scene such as this!_

_"I love you, Neptune." Noire said in the most serious tone she has ever spoken before. Neptune was taken aback; Noire never spoke like this, even in her HDD form. She felt herself melt at these glorious fou- five!- syllables; never could so much be conveyed in such a small amount of words._

_"I love you, Noire." With that, nothing more needed to be declared; everything was crystal clear. A kiss was inevitable; had it not occurred, the gods above would have rebelled against the very fabrics of society. And the resulting kiss would not disappoint even the most stubborn individuals. Bliss permeated their every being._

_After what must clearly have been an eternity all on its own, the two goddesses separated. A few more precious moments passed, when finally Noire opened her mouth to speak._

_"Man, I'm hungry! Can you make me a sammich, Nepey? Pweeeeeety pweeeaassssseee...?"_

_Neptune was taken aback once again that night, and softly swatted Noire over the head. "Should've expected it was too good to be true for you to be serious once in your life. You're hopeless..." The ditz shook her head, but held the tsundere close. Noire was lazy, dense, a complete tsundere, and way too hyper for her own good(!?). And Neptune wouldn't have her any other way. Noire was the girl of her dreams, and her dreams had come true._

_..._

...There, how was that? I bet your head hurts now, doesn't it? Nothing about that felt natural, right? Nothing at all...

...Which is how this whole vignette felt to me. No one wants to read about out-of-character... characters!

And yet, Neptune acted like a completely different person, and all for no reason; Hell, it wasn't even fully explained in the script why it happened. If it wasn't for my commentary, you wouldn't have even heard the "'Noired' silly" suggestion! What was this author thinking!?

...But, is the author really to blame? What if acting out-of-character... is just a normal part of life? Maybe Neptune, Noire, and the others aren't confined to their preordained personalities... I mean, look at me; I'm nothing like I used to be!

...Is that what people would like to see, though? Do viewers want to see these characters develop or act completely out of their usual zone, or... do they want them to act as they envision them to act: unwavering from a script that's true to the source material?

To remain truly in character, is it so far-fetched to assume that... development can not take place? If one of our heroines actually steps forward, and progresses past their problems like good round characters are supposed to do, then are they really, honestly, and faithfully... still in character?

...Ah, who cares! This certainly isn't the time nor the place to be all deep and preachy! I don't like what's going on either way. Let's just see what other rubbish this script presents us with next...

...Wait! Did I just... write my own script before!? ...What does... that imply?

**THE ENGAGED OOCs(?): END**

* * *

"A... book?"

Adrian looked at the Deity of Sin, utterly perplexed. Had his "mother" really come all this way just to bring them a stupid book?

"Look closer, child... This is no mere book." By now, Arfoire was grinning from ear to ear. The three young men extended their heads closer to the artifact, and were still confused.

"...A cheat-code book? What, you think we need help with a game, or somethin'? Couldn't we just use a FAQ online?" Alex grunted, obviously very disappointed. Hell, so am I.

Almaz carefully took the book from the witch's hand and studied it. "...'The Crucial Codes to the Way of Cheats?' Why is this so important, Mother?"

"This book... This TOME... holds an infinite amount of latent magic. Once you learn the nuances of the teachings inside, who knows what you three could accomplish?..."

"Magic, huh?" Adrian took hold of the book and flipped through a few pages. "'Level select?' Hm... 'Infinite Fury'... 'Big Head Mode?' Really?... 'Mirror World'... 'Extreme Weather'... Wait, I don't see what game these codes are for. Geez, that's useless..."

Arfoire snickered and placed her ice-cold hand on the boy's shoulder. "Dear Adrian... In due time, all will become clear... All you need to do is familiarize yourselves with each and every code in this book." The witch suddenly rose to her feet, and proceeded to the door.

"W-Wait! T-That's it? You're just gonna leave?" Alex protested. He was still bothered by seeing his dead demonic mother (whom he never really had a conversation with) suddenly show up at the door to the hut they had just randomly taken refuge in. How... convenient all this was, I must say...

...And why the hell are we still following these bastards around!?

"My time is just about up... I'll be heading back to the nothingness again. If I am physically able to, I will one day appear before you three for a second time... Please make your mother proud and be much more than familiar with that book by the time I return."

The three confused brown-haired young men nodded nervously, and watched the witch leave. "G-Goodbye, Mother! W-W-We'll make you proud!" Almaz called, tears apparently forming in his eyes.

Alex slapped his brother in the back of the head. "T-The hell're you cryin' for, ya wimp? Y-You know about our mom, right? That she doesn't give a shit about any single being in the freakin' universe?" He looked down towards his feet. "...We're not really her sons... We're monsters; Pawns..."

"B-But... She acted pretty kind just now. The stories we've been told always described how cruel each word she spoke was... What if those tales were all lies, or at least exaggerated?"

"...Just shut up, man..."

As Alex and Almaz bickered about the morality of the Deity of Sin, Adrian stared intently at the book in his hands. "'The Crucial Codes,' huh? Guess it's worth a look..."

Outside, Arfoire smiled to herself. "Heheh... The seeds have been planted... Now all I need to do is sit back and watch how everything unfolds. This... will be quite enjoyable..." She turned her gaze back towards the hut, thinking for a brief moment about the young men inside. "Hmm... I wonder if those three will survive past the opening? ...Oh well, it is of no concern to me..." With a hammy laugh, the Deity of Sin vanished into thin air.


	3. Flower of Bravery!

_"It's such a beautiful day, isn't it? The breeze is just perfect~" Lyrica cooed as she sat with her head back, allowing the breeze to blow her hair._

_"Yeah, it's so calming... I forgot how nice Leanbox's weather is..." IF replied, resting her head on the soft grass. "Man, I'm glad I came here today..."_

_The pop idol looked at the brunette and ran a hand through her hair. "...I'm really glad you came, too... I've missed you so much..."_

_"5... I-I'm sorry I've been away for so long... It's just, I had to make sure Nep didn't blow Planeptune up; She was away for three years, after all. Gear and Histoire couldn't bring her up to speed alone." The brunette warrior sat up and rested her hand upon the idol's shoulder. "I-If you want... I can stay in Leanbox for a while? We could... catch up on things."_

_5pb. blushed, and smiled as brightly as ever. "I-I-I would love that!" The two embraced in a friendly hug, and the peaceful moment continued..._

_Watching from afar, all the way back at Leanbox castle's patio, were two particular figures. "Oh, aren't those two just so precious together? I'm really glad we got Iffy to come!" Leanbox's oracle, Chika, cheered._

_The woman sitting with her, Cave, sighed. "Do you really have nothing better to do than to watch those two hang out? There must be some order of business to attend to..."_

_"Aw, Cavey, don't be such a spoilsport! This is a very important task: I need to play matchmaker for those two shy birds!"_

_"Matchmaker...? Is that really... ethical? What if they don't want to be more than friends?"_

_"Can't you see, Cavey? They totally want each other! They just... need a little push in the right direction."_

_The SMD warrior shook her head. "Whatever..." She looked once more at the two girls in the distance, and sighed somewhat-longingly. Even from here, she could see Lyrica's beautiful blue hair, flowing so peacefully... "...Just please, leave me out of this; I don't want to catch your insanity..." With that, the woman stormed off._

_Chika continued watching the innocent friends, tossing around ideas in that energetic head of hers. Just when she was about to stand and head back inside..._

_"Hey there! Hope you don't mind me intruding, but... need some help?"_

_The oracle jumped in surprise, and looked behind her; A brown-haired young woman was standing in the doorway._

_"Uh, er... Who are you? And how'd you get in the castle? Crap... Vert won't be happy if I left the door unlocked again..."_

_The stranger smiled and raised her arms defensively... This seems familiar... "Actually, Lady Green Heart allowed me in herself... My name's Demesne; A bit odd, but I'm of... well, odd origins. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Chika."_

_Demesne (Seriously, that's a name?) held out her hand, and the oracle cautiously shook it. "Hmm... Well, if Vert let you in, then you must be ok... So, what did you want?"_

_The odd young woman smiled, and pointed towards the girls in the distance. "I couldn't help but notice that you are interested in pushing those two together, correct? Well... I, myself, am a connoisseur of girl-love, so I wanted to help you."_

_"H-Help me? Seriously?" Chika thought for a moment, and began to grin. "Hmmmmmm... Well, if you're serious... then sure! Welcome aboard the "Get Iffy and Lyrica to Cadoodle" express! ...So, any ideas? I've... got nothing so far."_

_Demesne chuckled, and held up a finger. "How about this: You ask those two lovebirds to try out a new batch of "tea" you made..." She leaned in close to the oracle's ear. "...Only, it won't be any ordinary tea; It will be spiked with high-quality alcohol... At least, that's what you'll tell the pop idol."_

_Chika raised an eyebrow. "W-Wait... T-Tell Lyrica? I-I can't tell her about some plan like this! She'll never go along with it!"_

_"Have no fear, dear Chika; Today is a very special day. The universe is giving off so much energy right now... 5pb. will listen to what you have to say, I can guarantee that. However, you only have the next few hours; Any time after that, there's no certainty..."_

_The oracle of Leanbox considered things for a moment. "...The alcohol: Where do I get some? Vert may get concerned if she sees wine in the castle."_

_"Here..." The stranger pulled out a bottle of some drink seemingly from nowhere and handed it over. "I've already cleared it with Green Heart; You're in the clear."_

_The oracle's eyes widened in disbelief. "T-Thank you... Demesne... B-But... why do all this? I mean, I just want those two to finally stop denying their feelings for each other. You didn't need to help..."_

_The brown-haired young woman smiled softly. "Tehe... I just like giving love... a little push... That's all..." She looked at her watch, and nodded. "Well, I don't want to overstay my welcome; I'll be off."_

_"A-Ah, ok! T-Thanks again, Demesne!"_

_"No problem, sweetheart. Good luck!" And with that, the strange woman left the patio._

_As the mysterious girl was about to leave the castle, she stopped and found Vert standing in the doorway. "Everything's good to go, Lady Green Heart; Chika thinks she's in full control."_

_"Good... That's very good. Thank you again, Shade." Vert smiled, and bowed in respect. Wait... Shade? Isn't her name Demesne? Are those her first and last names? Huh...?_

_"Oh, it's my pleasure, my lady... But, I must ask one thing: Are you sure you're alright with these proceedings? Pardon me for prying, but you don't exactly hide it well that you have feelings for Miss IF..."_

_Vert turned her gaze to the floor, her smile taking on a more somber tone. "...It is true that I have feelings for IF... but, I believe that she will be happiest with Miss 5pb... Her happiness is all I could ask for..."_

_The stranger pat the goddess on the shoulder. "...I understand the sentiment, but... do YOU? Do you really understand your own wants and needs? You must also consider your own happiness as well from time to time..."_

_The CPU didn't respond, so "Shade" simply nodded her head. "Ok, I'll be going now... I hope to see you again someday..."_

_Vert silently waved as the girl left, then went back pondering everything. "...I am content with Miss IF's happiness... right?"_

_Outside the castle, the brown-haired young woman smirked to herself. "That went rather well... In due time, Vert will make up her mind... It's all a matter of waiting, now..."_

_...Should I even ask? Am I supposed to care? What's the point if no one's gonna give me a damn answer? Ugh... let's see what this installment has in store..._

* * *

"E-Excuse me, Mistah... M-May I have some food?"

A small child, a girl no older than seven, lightly tugged on Adrian's shirt. Raising an eyebrow, he turned to look at her. "Hm? Food?"

"Y-Yes please! We haven't eaten in days, and Mommy is fewy sick... A wittle bwead would help, Mistah."

The three brown-haired young men had just risked their necks robbing some bread, as they had no money to their names. Now, some helpless little child was asking for a share.

Alex grimaced, clearly conflicted. He was starving, damn it! But... the way the little girl stared at them so pleadingly... Why, it melted the heart he probably didn't even have. He looked to the leader of the group.

"Er, Adrian, what should we do? I mean, we were only able to steal six loaves of bread. That's barely enough to satisfy two of us, let alone three AND an unexpected child!"

Almaz stayed quiet in the background, unsure of what to say. He was created with the image of a hero of justice in mind, but his meekness and indecisiveness prevented him from speaking up.

The leader of the brothers contemplated things for a moment. "...Little girl, how much do you need?"

"W-Well, Mommy is weal hungwy, and Dadda hasn't come home in days..." The child counted off on her fingers. "...Uhm, two pwease! I'll give one to Mommy, and save the other for when dadda gets back." That... doesn't sound too likely, kiddo...

Adrian shook his head. "But what about you? I'm sure yer dad would want you to eat first and foremost..." He looked at the other two, sighed, and picked out three loaves. "Here... For your whole family. It's the best we can do right now; I'm sorry."

The little girl looked in silent awe at the bread. "W-Wow...! T-T-Thanks, Mistah!" Her eyes lit up, almost making the men forget how weak and saddened they had seemed mere moments ago.

The brown-haired young man smiled gently, and knelt down to place his hand on her shoulder. "Heh, no problem, kiddo... Say, what's your name? I'm Adrian."

"Tehe, I'm Isara. I'm turning eight next month!"

"Well, nice to meet you, Isara... Now, you should hurry on home; Don't wanna keep your mother waiting."

"Okay! Thank ya, Mistah!" With a smile and a nod, she skipped on down the road and into a hut. The front door was decorated with a small yellow flag, but no other eye-catching features were present to help it stand out from the dreary surroundings. Just the one small expanse of yellow among the dreary grey and brown wasteland.

"Isara, huh? ...Nice name." Adrian mumbled to himself.

His two brothers eyed him suspiciously. Alex slowly walked closer to him, and cocked his head to the side. "Uh, bro... Was that really the smart thing to do? Now we only have one loaf of bread for each of us tonight!"

"...And what else were we supposed to do? Let a child starve? We're not monsters, Alex." Adrian retorted, a hint of ferocity in his voice. Something about his tone struck a bad chord with Alex, and he began to clench his fists.

In the end, though, he managed to suppress the urge to smash his brother in the face. "...Look, it's just... it's survival of the fittest out here! We can't buy food, so we need to scrounge up every small morsel we can get our grubby little fingers on! If we give it all away to others, then we're gonna die; Plain and simple! I don't like it, but that's the way of the bloody world. Better get used to it..."

Adrian sneered at the irritable brother, but didn't snap. Sad as it sounded, Alex was right. It was a kill or be killed kind of world...

...Which got him thinking...

'...Y'know what I don't get?' The leader asked himself subconsciously. '...This whole village is poorer than all hell, right? And... I bet it's safe to say that there are a lot more villages and towns just as bad off, if not worse...'

The leader looked up at the clouds above, struggling to organize his thoughts. He wasn't sure what was entirely coming over him, but it felt like he had some moment of... clarity, so to speak. '...Why? Why do some people have such shitty lives? This is a tremendously technological world; Hell, people build sentient robots that can build other sentient robots! If we're so advanced, then why are there so many people in need?' He clenched his fists, finally reaching the apparent heart of the problem in his mind. '...This world is run by the CPUs; The all-powerful goddesses, with their "amazing" HDD. So, why don't they do a frikkin' thing to help? They have so much power, and yet don't do a damned thing with it... Odd...'

The two brothers exchanged confused glances, then shook their heads. Alex spoke up in an attempt to dispel the awkward atmosphere that he had helped create. "Uh, bro, y-you okay? You look like you're thinkin' a bit too hard about somethin'... Heh, I-I can see steam rising from yer ears."

"Yeah, Adrian... You all right?" No reply. Almaz sighed, shrugged, and began walking off. "...Er, let's go home now, bro..."

Still in deep thought, Adrian absentmindedly followed his brothers back to their hut...

* * *

**THE DRAINED VETERAN AND ALL HER FRIENDS**

It's pretty much common knowledge that IF, the battle-hardened veteran, was a strong and fierce fighter, especially when compared to most other Makers. If one of the CPUs ever needed a worthy scout to carry out a monster-hunting quest, the brunette would understandably be one of the first choices.

However, IF was certainly not invincible; She could get injured, or lose in a battle, or even... catch illnesses, which leads us to today's brief episode.

"Aaaaa... Choo! ...Shit, I feel like crap." The brunette sighed, her voice clearly strained and nasally.

5pb. frowned to herself and lightly pressed the back of her hand against her lover's forehead. "Oh my, you're fever is seriously getting worse. D-Do you need anything? I-I can get some water, if you'd like?"

IF's lips curved in an exhausted smile. "No thanks, I'm good... My throat burns when I drink, anyways, so it'd be no help."

The idol nodded, but still continued frowning. She just couldn't stand to see her invincible IF looking so miserable. "...I feel so helpless..."

The brunette shook her head and chuckled. "C'mon, Fivey, it's just a cold. Don't worry 'bout me; You'll just get sick, yourself... Why don't you play your guitar? If you wouldn't mind, it'd... cheer me up..."

The pop idol thought for a moment, then grew quite the energetic grin. "Ah, right! Of course I'll play for you! Here, let me just fetch my things..." She dashed out the room, leaving her lover alone for a second. Huh, so this author remembered that 5pb.'s entire schtick is that she plays the guitar... Still doesn't make me feel any better about our mystery writer.

Anyways, within seconds, another figure entered the room, but it was not the pop idol. "Hello, Miss IF... Oh dear, you look quite ailed. Is there anything I can do to be of assistance?" Lady Green Heart asked, softly clutching the sick girl's arm.

"Nah, I'm fine, Lady Vert. P-Please, I-I don't want to get you sick! Y-You have a nation to run, I mean! Don't put your health in jeopardy because of me!" The battle-hardened veteran blushed embarrassedly.

Even though that whole... misunderstanding(?)... between IF and Green Heart from the last story seemed to have been resolved, there was still a bit of tension between the two friends... I mean, Vert had nearly seduced the sick warrior in a bathtub, for goodness sake! If that doesn't make things eternally odd between friends, I don't know what will.

Vert smiled peacefully, and shook her head. "Do not worry about me, IF; I would gladly trade in my health if it meant restoring you to your proper self." Another nod of the CPU's head.

"...Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you." As much as she tried to hide it, IF was glad that Green Heart was here. As odd as things were between them, she still revelled in her company.

The goddess took a seat on the bed, and lightly ran a hand through the brunette's hair. "I will be all right, Miss IF. Now, please get some rest. I'll watch over you."

It was then that the pop idol marked her return. "Ok, time to rock out! ...O-Oh, hello Lady Vert! I thought you and Chika went out?"

"No, Chika has some business to attend to, it seems. I'm here by my lonesome."

"Oh... W-Well, I was about to play my guitar. You can stay, if you'd like?"

Green Heart contemplated the idol's words, and nodded again. Always with the nodding. "Why, that would be lovely. Thank you for the offer, Miss Lyrica."

"Yeah... Thanks for doin' this, Fivey." IF mused, smiling warmly at her famous lover.

Lyrica winked at her small audience, and grabbed her guitar pick. The private show was about to begin!

...Er, but where's the music? Where's the "wwwaahhhhhwahwahwahwahhhhs," or the "newwwww... new-new-new-new-new-newwwws," or even the "beeka beeka bwow whaughs?" Lyrica is a pop idol, but we never actually see or hear her in action? Hell, the only times I've ever actually seen her play her guitar is when she's killing villains (namely, me). Why does her music help kill things?

... Anyways, 5pb. played a silly love long on her guitar for a bit(which we didn't get to hear), and then collapsed on the bed with a smile. "So, how was that? It's been a while since I played that song, so some of the chords may have sounded off."

IF attempted to hug her girlfriend, but her head was too cloudy for her to make the simple gesture. "You were great, Lyree; Perfect, as usual."

"Indeed. For such little preparation time, that was a most impressive performance." Vert said, her hands clasped together in delight.

"T-Thank you...! I-I can play an encore, if you'd like?" And that, she did. Gamindustri's popular pop idol played another tune (Eh, something is easy with eyes closed, or whatever; It's not important). The soothing tune and the comforting sounds of the guitar's "twangs" drifted over the sickly brunette, causing her to slip... away... into... a... deep... slumber... *Zzzz...ZzzZz...ZZzzz-snnCHHhkkkk-phsawwww- zZZzzzZZ...*

...Woah! Sorry about that! That song nearly made me slip into unconsciousness, as well! Whew, I'm tired...

...Hm... What is up with this feeling? It's like... I don't know, there's something sinister behind this scene. I'm getting the same uneasy sensation as the crappy Purple and Black Heart chapter gave me. In a professional story, wouldn't these scenes be dispersed amongst the actual overarching plot? Hell, the last story had that: While Narrator further displayed his insane tendencies, our view would cut to the goddesses doing something, then the battle-hardened veteran dealing with her problems, and occasionally even Linda and Nisa performing their misguided duties.

Here, when we just focus on self-contained vignettes, the pacing drags; Completely and utterly drags! We get disjointed scenes that go nowhere, and virtually hold no importance over anything!

...Is that what you want? Is that what any reader wants? Simple fluff pieces that merely serve as standard days in the lives of our heroines? Doesn't all of this feel cheap, or something?

...Well, no matter how much I may bitch, we still have to finish this segment. Not much longer now...

IF slowly opened her eyes, and groggily glanced around her. Lying beside her was a sleeping 5pb., and to the side sat a sleeping Vert, half of her body pleasantly leaning against the soft mattress. Seems everybody had eventually drifted off to sleep... Well, no shit, author! That's pretty obvious!

The battle-hardened veteran sighed contently. Sure, she was sick, but she felt at peace.

Suddenly, the shuffling of footsteps could be heard in the hall, and a familiar face clambered into the room. "Ah! Iffy, you're finally awake!"

"C-Compa!? W-When'd you get here?" The sickened brunette was utterly shocked, and for good reason: The medic had been staying on Planeptune for the longest time! Why was she now on Leanbox?

"Nep-Nep told me you were sick, so I came all the way over to make you all better! She couldn't come, but she's here in spirit!" The nurse boldly proclaimed, her syringe in tow. Ah, there the lackluster explanation is.

IF wondered just how Lady Purple Heart heard the news. She decided Chika must've blabbed to Histoire, who then let it slip.

Whatever the case, the battle-hardened veteran felt better than ever; Three of her best friends had come to take care of her! Sure, her pride would never let her act completely helpless, but the gesture made even her steel heart melt. "T-Thanks Compa, but y-you didn't have to do that! I-I don't want to be a burden."

Compa cheerfully shook her head. "No, no, no, Iffy; I came here because I wanted to. And..." She raised her syringe to the heavens, "...I'm a certified nurse! ...Er, in training! There's no ailment my syringe can't tackle!"

IF looked graciously into her best friend's eyes, feeling like the king... er, queen of the world. "...Yer the best, Comps. I love you, ya little brat." And it was true; In one way or another, the battle-hardened veteran loved Gamindustri's medic-in-training. She would go to the ends of the universe to keep her safe...

...Guh!? W-Wha...?

...But how far would that devotion go? In a life or death situation, would Miss IF really have the strength to protect her best friend? Could the brunette keep any of her friends and allies alive?

...Or was she destined to fail them? When the moment arrived, would this invincible warrior be able to save anybody?

Hell... Would she even be able to save herself?

...Tch!

W-What the hell was that!? I-I swear that wasn't me! S-S-Something just stole control for a second there!

...Shit, what's going on? First, these crappy vignettes, and now demonic possession of the script? What's this fic coming to?

Compa blushed at IF's remark, and ran over to hug her friend. "Have no fear, Iffy; I will take great care of you! You'll be back on your feet in no time."

And so, IF spent her sick days in the company of her three best friends (well, one happens to be her lover): 5pb, Vert, and Compa. Ah, such a touching moment...

...Hm... It must be nice to have friends... R-Really nice...

...Oh! Uh, what's next? ...Hmmm... Er, nothing; This segment is done. What the...? Well, that was rather anticlimactic, wasn't it? Hell, what was the frikkin' point? If you really think about it, this was just an abridged summary of the battle-hardened veteran's relations from the previous stories. The only thing that happened was IF being sick, and several beautiful women voluntarily risked their own health to take care of her. What was the significance? Where's the humor? Where's the enjoyment?

**THE DRAINED VETERAN AND ALL HER FRIENDS: END**

* * *

A few days passed, and the three brown-haired young men continued to live like vagrants. With each new morning, the boys were forced to find food and gather water from the old, musty well, and money was extremely scarce. They had to eventually succumb to pilfering more bread from a local vendor, as we learned earlier.

"I'm sick of all this crap!" Alex snapped one day. "For once, I just want to sit down an' have a decent meal! We need some cash, pronto!"

"Oh jeez, is complaining all you can do!? If ya wanna help so much, then get a freakin' job already!" Adrian groaned, lying on the ground with his arms beyond his head.

"Ain't no place hiring, ya buffoon! All this village has is one-man food carts."

Almaz looked at his two brothers uneasily, wishing that they would stop fighting. "Uhm... Er... Why don't we just pack up and head off to a larger city, then? I mean, Sim City is pretty close, or Randome would work too... Hell, who's to say we can't dwell in Lowee? We're not exactly fugitives on the run, you know... In fact, very few people even know what we really are! Yeah, now that I'm this far... Why are we even living like this? We're not criminals!" Hm, he has a point, not that I really care.

The bickering boys exchanged quick glances, and sighed. "...Y'know what, fine. You wanna leave this place so badly, then let's go! But, don't blame me if we get killed by some over-leveled random encounter!" Adrian yelled, and them sprang to his feet.

"...No matter where we go, there's still the fact that we have no bloody money. Credits won't be just floating over the ground all hunky-dory like!" Um... What accent is this Alex guy supposed to be using, anyways?

"Oh yeah... Damn, we're still screwed there..." Almaz now looked defeated. Adrian, however, had a sudden thought...

"...The book! Damn, how'd I let it slip my mind?" The other two looked at him with raised eyebrows; Seems to be their trademark. "Mother told us that 'The Crucial Codes' could be used for almost anything, right? So... What if we find a cheat that could help us get some instant cash?"

Alex pressed his palm to his face. "Oh brother... Don't tell me you actually believe that crap!? How could a cheat code book help us in the real world?"

"Iunno... But I discovered something while flippin' through the pages..." Adrian grabbed the nearly-forgotten tome and frantically flipped to Page 42, and showed it off to the other two. "See? Pretty interesting, huh?"

On Page 42 was a very detailed photo of some odd game controller, one unlike any of the ones available on the market today. It seemed to be a combination of multiple consoles' controllers, what with the letters and symbols and numerous analog sticks. In the dead center of the contraption was a brief inscription:

"The Ghost-  
Pale Heart"

"The hell is this? Who or what the bloody hell is Pale Heart? That's certainly not any CPU I know!" Alex muttered. Almaz remained silent, studying the picture. The irritable brother continued looking at the controller, and then spoke up again "...Well, so what? What's this picture have to do wit' anything?"

Adrian gave a small smirk. "...Touch it... I dare ya."

Alex looked at him for a moment, then rolled his eyes and reached out. "Ugh... If it'll please ya, then I'll freakin' do it..." He moved his thumb to the left analog stick, and... "W-What the hell!? It's... It's actually moving?" Indeed; The flat picture of the game controller was actually more dynamic then it looked. It was an odd sensation indeed; Alex knew that he wasn't touching a 3D object, but it didn't feel 2D either... Really? That's the best description this author's got? Man, who's writing this script, anyways?...

"H-Have you tried entering any of the codes yet?" Almaz asked, his excitement levels rising.

"No... I didn't really feel comfortable doin' that... I mean, what if Mother gave us this, meaning to blow us sky high? We are her failed creations, right?"

"...Well, so what if it kills us? We're livin' like shit anyways! Whadda we got to lose?" Alex proclaimed boldly. Almaz's eyes broadened nervously, but he didn't speak up.

Adrian took a deep breath, looked up at the ceiling, and nodded. "...Ok, let's do this!" He flipped through the pages in the book, and found one that appealed to him. "This one says: 'Easy Money'... R2, R2, L1, L1, LEFT, DOWN, RIGHT, UP, LEFT, DOWN, RIGHT, UP... Ok, uh, write that one down."

Almaz wrote down the code with a pen he must have pilfered from somewhere, and read it aloud. Adrian entered the sequence using the controller picture. Once it was entered... the book emitted a buzzing sound.

"H-Huh?" The leader of the men saw a brief message appear at the top of the page: "Requires Level 25!"

"You shittin' me? The code's not available?" Alex yelled, disappointment taking over his features. "Level 25? I am definitely a higher level than that!"

Adrian shook his head, and looked at the back of the front cover. "Ahum, just as I thought..." There for all to see was an experience bar, and the number 1 next to it. "...It's not us that need to be Level 25; It's the book!"

"H-How do we level up a book, Adrian!?" Almaz gasped.

The young man didn't answer, but instead looked through the pages again. Now that he knew better, he noticed that each code had a level requirement stat next to them. Finally, he came to one that was Level 1: Debug Menu.

"Hmm... Ok, easy enough..." He flipped back to the controller, held down L2, and pressed the triangle button. A ding sounded, and the back cover began to glow. "Woah..." Turning to the back cover, a couple of check boxes were now visible. Only one was selectable, however. "'Raise Friendship Level'... It's the only one available right now. Huh... It says to walk up to a desired target, Level 2 or lower, and select the option... Ok, let's test this out." An idea popped into his head. "...Ya think the bread vendor's lower than Level 2?"

* * *

**THE ORACLE VS. THE ALTERNATE ARISTOCRAT(!?)**

Chika looked at the note she kept in her pocket, then up at the tavern before her, back to the note, back to the tavern, and then nodded contently. "Whelp, here's the place! Now, let's see what this stranger wants with my Vert..."

Stepping inside the cheap tavern at the edge of Leanbox, the oracle slowly glanced around the room. It wasn't a particularly busy day, with only a select few patrons present. To the left, a bickering married couple; At the bar itself, a suspicious-looking man with pale skin and a black trench coat; and, at a random table to the right, a handsome young man with shoulder-length brown hair, with flamboyant curls. Could he be the one who summoned her here?

The oracle, eyebrow raised, slowly walked over to the table. The sophisticated man smiled, and turned to face her.

"Why, hello there; Chika, I presume? Hm... I was hoping for Lady Green Heart, but it appears she didn't come." The young man spoke with a pompous air about him. Not really the type of guy you'd like to spend a lot of time with.

Chika crossed her arms and took a seat. "Hmph... I would never allow my Vert to talk with strangers, especially creepy men! You'll just have to say whatever you want to ta me."

The man, aristocratic in nature, brought his hands together in front of his face, covering his frown. "...Well, I suppose it can't be helped. I can settle with the oracle of Leanbox; In the grand scheme of things, you're the one who actually runs the nation, correct?"

"Don't you dare demean everything Vert does for this nation!" The oracle snapped suddenly; Something about this stranger just filled her with a most uncharacteristic rage. Clenching her fists, she studied the man's face closer than before. "Hmph... So, who are you, and where the hell are you from? Hate to say it, but you seem like a Leanbox fellow."

He gracefully flipped the hair curl in front of his face. "Indeed I am; My name is Jade, and I am a native of this here fair nation."

Chika scowled, but resisted insulting the man's haughty tone. "...So, what did you need to meet with Vert for? Townspeople can't just talk with the goddess whenever they feel like it."

"...I wished to propose a... business opportunity to her. But, seeing as she isn't here, I will trust you to deliver the message to her in my stead."

"A business opportunity...?" Chika raised one eyebrow in a questioning fashion, then sighed. "Why would we need something like that? Our shares are fine as is; in fact, Leanbox is better off than Lastation, last time I checked..." Still, despite her words, the prospect of more money intrigued the oracle. "...Grr... Well, you made me come all the way out here to this rundown place anyways, so ya might as well give me the proposition."

Jade smiled, and firmly clasped his hands together. "Excellent; You're a smart woman, Chika..." The oracle sneered in response, but remained otherwise silent. "...So, you are aware of the company named 'Avenir,' correct?"

"Avenir? They're a major Lastation ally. What about 'em?"

"I've recently been hired by them... They would very much appreciate the backing of Leanbox's government."

Chika tilted her head in confusion, wondering where the aristocratic gentleman was going with this. "Why would a Leanbox man like yourself work with a Lastation company? And how could they possibly expect aid from us!?" Fair questions indeed.

Jade flipped his hair curl again. "Ohohohoho... You see, Lady Chika, Avenir is no longer pleased with the way Lady Black Heart has been running things." He looked at his fingernails, a disgustingly smug grin plastered on his face. "I'm sure you've heard the rumors circulating about an impending marriage announcement? From what I hear, good ol' Black Heart is getting married to Planeptune's own Purple Heart. Such an event would certainly plunge Gamindustri into chaos, and Lastation would be in grave danger. There's obviously more to their suspicions than just that, but surely you understand Avenir's qualms with this decision?"

The oracle already knew about the engaged goddesses; Nearly everyone in their group of friends had found out around the holiday season. She also knew that the wedding would certainly present problems to the stability of the four nations. Still, it didn't seem like anything to excessively worry about.

She shot the man a demeaning look. "So, you're asking me to help Avenir betray Lastation? Are you insane?"

"Oh, I'm not crazy, dear Chika. Lady Black Heart is only going to hurt her citizens further as the days go on; That much is clear. What Avenir requires is simply a little under-the-desk funding from your end of things, and my... dearest three associates will take care of the rest. I ensure you: By investing in Avenir, you will open your nation to profits the likes of which it's never seen before. If the takeover goes as planned, you will promptly earn half of all of Lastation's shares."

Now the oracle couldn't contain her anger. "...What!? What type of nation do ya think we're running? We would never agree to sabotaging another landmass, and I'm insulted you'd even insinuate we'd be interested! You're lucky I don't alert the authorities right now!"

Jade frowned, and covered his mouth with his hands again. "Lady Chika... There was one thing you misunderstood: I never said you had a choice. Avenir demands your assistance. It's not just Lastation that Avenir has its eyes on; If you don't abide by our demands..." His eyes stared harshly at the woman; He meant business now. "...then we can't guarantee your nation won't be targeted next."

"A-Are you threatening me!?"

"Oh no... I'm simply warning you of the inevitable. It's all beyond my control now; If Singe wants your land, then he'll get your land. By simply forking over a small payment, you ensure your nation's prosperity- and safety- for years to come. In the end, you can only win." Wow... This guy is evil.

Chika, insulted beyond compare, sprang up from her seat, slapped the aristocrat's face, and began heading for the door. She stopped for a single moment to utter one last reply. "...I'm going to forget we EVER had this conversation. If you even once show your face to me or my Vert again, then there'll be hell to pay! Tell Avenir to take their proposal and shove it!" And thus, the oracle left the bar in a fit of rage.

Jade could only remain seated at the table, his crossed hands continuing to shroud his face. "...Nearsighted bitch... And dear old Green Heart didn't even have the stones to show her face to me..." He lowered his head, his dagger-like eyes tearing into the tabletop. "...That insufferable skank! She was a coward back then, and she's a coward now. Hiding behind her damn assistant... Who the hell does she think she is!? She's simply scum... No, less than scum..." Oh my... this young man is practically seething with rage! What's his deal? And... why does he seem to have such disdain for Leanbox's CPU?

**THE ORACLE VS. THE ALTERNATE ARISTOCRAT(!?): END**

* * *

"Look, there's the scruffy old dood!" Almaz said, a bold finger pointing at the bread vendor.

"Alright, let's give this a shot!" Adrian hammily declared as he held up the tome towards the unaware old guy. Taking another deep breath, the young man pressed his finger on the check box... and a ding sounded yet again.

The old man jerked his head up suddenly, and noticed the three brothers. His mouth grew into a huge smile, and he motioned for them to approach him.

"Uh... Now that this is happening, it, er, feels kinda creepy..." Alex mumbled, but still the boys walked towards the vendor.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite traveling trio! I just wanted to take this chance to thank you heartily for your support! My business is now seeing more customers in a week than it previously saw in a year!"

The boys looked at each other in clear confusion; They had never spoken to this man before, beyond simply asking for bread. Was that cheat code so powerful that it could plant completely false memories in someone's head?

Regardless, before they could respond, the man continued. "Please, it's not much, but it's the best that a humble old man can offer: Take as much bread as you can, free of charge!"

Adrian frantically waved his hands in front of his face. "N-N-N-No! W-We can't do that!"

"Please, I insist! Here, hold yer hands out in front of you!" The boys reluctantly did as asked, and their hands were filled with loaves of bread. "There ya go! Now, don't get into any trouble, you three! See ya around!" The man then went back to work, almost as if nothing happened.

"Uhm... Thank you! ...Let's get out of here..." Almaz nervously suggested, and the others nodded.

Back at the hut, the boys placed the abundance of bread on the table, and breathed sighs of relief. "S-Shit, it actually works... W-What else d'ya think we can do with it?" Alex asked, wiping his forehead.

"I dunno... but it says we're Level 2 now..." The leader revealed, seeing the bold number shining brightly. "...It says we unlocked new cheats on page 4... Ah, here we are: 'Basic Illusions'... Petty magic tricks? Really?"

Almaz's eyes lit up upon hearing the new cheat. "M-Magic tricks! Those could come in handy, couldn't they?"

"How the hell can childish illusions help us?"

"Well... think about it: We need money, right? And, well, this book also needs to level up in order to use higher-powered cheats, right? So, we could impress people with some magic tricks, make a little money, and be able to level grind all at once! Sure beats making everyone our friend. I mean, that is a helpful cheat, but I couldn't have been the only one who felt uncomfortable by taking advantage of that old man..." Almaz offered, rubbing the back of his head.

Adrian stroked his chin, nodding resolutely. "...Y'know what, I think you're right... but we'll need to go somewhere with a more dense population to really make a profit..."

Alex shook his head. "The hell? Are you all going freakin' insane? Jeez... Fine, then do ya really want to go to Lowee? It's gonna be a long walk."

Adrian smirked. "Well, we have enough bread here to last us a few days... Now's as good a time as any..."

"O-Ok bro! Let's do this!" Almaz cheered, and the trio began to pack whatever they could for the long trek that awaited them...


	4. Another Side?

Yet a few more days passed, and the boys settled down in a rundown apartment in Lowee, after a rather uneventful trek through the wilderness. As soon as they made it to the town, the trio immediately began grinding experience for the tome. This consisted of walking up to a random citizen and showing them a magic trick.

"Watch as I make a dogoo appear from your ear!" Almaz boldly declared.

"A dogoo? It won't mind the smell, right? I haven't washed this outfit for a few months..." The young boy named Jimmy said. Yeah, they picked a winner here.

The brown-haired young man extended his hand to the kid's ear, and viola! A dogoo was now in his grasp! "Bow-wow-wooze!"

"Wow... Cool." Jimmy said, not much enthusiasm in his voice. He probably was impressed, but you know how terse kids can be these days...

"Thank you, my fellow citizen! We are but hungry travelers, looking to perfect our expertise of the magus! If it will not trouble you, can you possibly spare a few credits on our behalf?" Man, Almaz is hamming it up.

The young boy thought for a moment, his face constantly bored-looking. He then nodded sluggishly. "Hmm... Sure... I can make my mom pick up the cat-food. Here..." He handed the brothers a modest amount of credits, and waved. "I better sneak home now... Bye." Man, what an odd kid...

Over time, the magic tricks eventually yielded more and more cash, and with each successful use, the tome's experience increased. Eventually, Level 5 was attained, and a new breakthrough was reached: Er, higher-tier magic tricks.

"Aw, come on! More bloody magic tricks!? When do we get to the good stuff?" Alex whined.

Adrian simply looked at the book with quite the smug expression. "...I was getting bored of those weak illusions, anyways... Better tricks will surely increase our popularity..." He rapidly turned and pointed a finger at Almaz. "Yo! Draw up some flyers, and hang 'em around town; We're gonna hold ourselves a little magic show!"

"A-A magic show, brother?" Almaz asked, confusion clear in his voice.

"Heh heh... Yep! We'll set up in the park, and see how many people show up; We'll start amateurish, and work our way up."

Alex sighed. "Geez, you sure are goin' all out with this, huh? Is it even safe to play out in public in front of a huge crowd like that? You do know about the dragons, right?"

The leader cocked his head to the side. "Dragons? What about 'em? Sure, they're flooding the skies, but they haven't done anything threatening yet. I ain't scared of no dragon." Hm... Do you suppose this whole mentioning of the dragons swarming Lowee is an act of foreshadowing, or... no, wait, it's definitely not; It's just one further step in connecting one of the loose plot threads from the last story. My apologies...

...E-Either way, the boys set off to prepare for their first major magic gig. Three days later, everything was set.

Adrian and Almaz would be the frontrunners of the show, with Alex operating the cheat book behind the scenes. So as to not arouse suspicion, though, Alex would make occasional public appearances after selecting one of the new codes that operated on a one to five minute timer (A spectacular firework show and a disappearing act, for example). Why aren't you being shown the preparation? I'm simply choosing not to show you. This script is lucky that I follow it at all.

...Hm, but... why AM I even still reading this?

...

...The show began.

* * *

**WHEREVER YOU ARE...**

"I-IF! Histoire!"

The battle-hardened veteran and the tome fairy turned their heads towards the urgent voice. "Huh? G-Gear! You actually left yo-... Er, what is it?"

"IF, I can't find Neptune anywhere! She promised that we'd have another picnic today, but I haven't seen her all morning!"

IF traded a quick glance with Histoire, and lightly shrugged. "Hmm... I don't know what to tell ya; I haven't seen her all morning, either... Y-You checked her room, right?"

The purple-haired candidate nodded her head. "Ahum! I even checked under her bed! I'm worried that she left the house again... Oh no, what if she runs into another Vanargandr!? I-I need to find her fast!"

The CPU candidate began to run, when she collided into Compa, who had just entered the house. "O-Ow... Oh, G-Ge-Ge! I-I-I'm so sorry, Ge-Ge! I should really watch where I'm going..." She awkwardly smiled, and playfully tapped the top of her head. "I-I'm so clumsy..."

"N-No... It's my fault; I wasn't paying attention..." Nepgear helped the medic up, and attempted to smile. "Compa... Have you seen Neptune recently? She's gone missing, and forgot to leave some kind of note... That's so like her, though. I really shouldn't be surprised..."

The nurse looked over at the brunette and fairy, and thought for a moment. "Ummm... Sorry Ge-Ge, but... I haven't seen Nep-Nep anywhere... I-I'm sorry..."

The candidate nodded in understanding. "That's ok, Compa... Well, I guess I'd better continue searching for her... Ooh, I know! I'll take the food I prepared with me; Neptune won't be able to hide once she catches a whiff of this!" With that, she stepped outside. "Wish me luck!"

The three girls waved, and then looked at each other in slight bewilderment. "W-Well, her fever seems like it went down; She doesn't look as sickly as a few days ago." Compa said, for the sake of saying something.

Histoire nodded, and inquisitively cupped her chin. "Y-Yes, the illness seems to no longer be affecting her physical stature, but..." And the three continued discussing... whatever. The scene's changing, and I can't make out what they're saying anymore... Ah, must not be important...

...

The candidate spent numerous hours walking about Planeptune, searching for any sign at all of her dear older sister. "It's not like her to go missing for so long... But, she's never been one to attract serious trouble... She has to be fine!"

During her search, she inevitably walked by Planeptune Tower, and absentmindedly bumped into a woman. "H-Hey! Watch where yer goin', ya..." The stranger turned around and saw the CPU candidate's pretty face. "...beautiful devil, yo- wait..."

Nepgear snapped back to reality, and immediately separated from the girl she nearly knocked down. "O-Oh my, I'm so sorry! I've been doing that all day, and-"

The stranger scanned Nepgear's face, and scowled... Hey, come to think of it, that girl looks an awful lot like Nepgear herself... W-Wait a minute! Isn't that... Nepgeo? What the hell's Nepgeo doing back beneath Planeptune Tower? Is Linda nearby? Nisa? Gust? Hell, Pirachu?

"...You... Here I am, actually face-to-face with Nepgear... Heh, guess I can thank you: Pretending to be you has gotten me more girls than I even thought lived in Planeptune... But that's the only thing I can praise you for."

Nepgear cocked her head in confusion, and gasped; That symbol in Nepgeo's hair! It was the logo... for ASIC! "W-What the goodness? ASIC is still around?"

"...Barely, thanks to you, you... bitch. Because of you, I'm out of a job! You killed everybody who made ASIC what it was! Now, with no one in charge, my whole life has gone down the shitter! No one'll ever hire someone with ties to the organization, so I can't even get a low-paying, menial service job! And there's no freakin' way I'mma risk my hide fighting some monster for quick cash... I'm screwed, and it's all thanks to you!" The purple-haired imposter(?) walked up to the CPU candidate, and spit in her face. "...Yer lucky I don't have a violent streak, or I'd freakin' scar that pretty little face of yours! ...I've never been picky with women, but I wouldn't get caught dead even fantasizing about you, after all the pain and trouble you've caused me... All I can do now is to tarnish your shitty reputation; That's my only chance at happiness."

Nepgear was shocked at the verbal berating she had to sit through, and remained silent. The imposter grunted in frustration, and walked off. "W-Who was that? A-And... why was she so mad?" Yes, indeed: Who the hell was that? Nepgeo would never lash out at another girl like that, would she? And... no, nothing about this feels right at all!

...Either way, the candidate could only continue her search, and she quickly put this uncomfortable event out of her mind. I suppose you should as well...

...

A little further along, Nepgear began to grow more worried; She couldn't find Neptune around Planeptune anywhere! How curious... Not a single sign of her at all...

Deep in thought, the CPU Candidate nearly reinforced the same running gag for the third time now; She came rather close to bumping into yet another woman. At the last second, though, the stranger hopped out-of-the-way with a particular dramatic flair.

"Woah-hohoho there! Ya gotta pay more attention to where yer goin', cute stuff." The girl giggled... Oh no, it's her again! It's that cryptic brown-haired young woman from the past two chapter openings! You know, the one with two(possibly fake) names?

...Hm... Now, I guess you can't see, but something about her seems... out-of-place, maybe? It's like, she's eyeing her surroundings as if trying to get a grasp of where she is.

...H-Heh, it's almost as if she just teleported to this exact location a mere few seconds ago... B-But that would be ridiculous... right?

...Nepgear's eyes widened, and she bowed apologetically. "I-I-I'm so sorry! I was concentrating too hard on finding my sister... I'm really out of it today..."

'Shade(?)' chuckled, and pat the girl's back. "Aw, I understand, darling... Hm, let me guess: You're looking for Neptune."

The Candidate was taken aback. "Y-Y-Yes, that's right! ...Y-You know who I am?"

"Of course I know who you are, Nepgear! How could I not know a cutie-pie like yourself?" The enigmatic woman grinned playfully, then tapped her own forehead for some reason. "...I wish I could be of some help, but I haven't seen your sister anywhere today... I've been, er... out of town up until a bit ago."

Nepgear's eyes looked disappointed, but she nodded in understanding. "Oh, ok... Well, thank you anyways... uh...?"

"Yurei's the name! Nice to finally meetcha, Nepgear! I hope you find your sister..." Yurei!? Now she has a new name I've never even heard of! The hell?

The CPU Candidate bowed again. "Thank you! Well, I... better get back to it, then..." Not sure how to end the conversation, she simply smiled and walked off.

Left standing there, the brown-haired young woman stroked her chin. "Hmm, most interesting... I can see why she's being targeted by... HER. She'll certainly come in handy when the time comes..." ...Uh, let's just not ask...

...

When she finally acknowledged that her search had yielded no desirable result whatsoever, she took out her cell phone to enact stage two of her search plan: Call the other nations.

First, Nepgear tried to call Vert. For the longest time, Lady Green Heart had treated the CPU candidate like her younger sister, and it had been awhile since they last spent the day together. She could kill two birds with one stone: She could check to see if Neptune had some business over in the other landmass, and maybe set up a play-date with Leanbox's goddess.

However, nobody replied; Not even Chika, who, as Ge-Ge recalled Histoire saying a few days ago, had not made any contact with any of the other oracles for weeks now.

"Hm... I guess I'll try Lowee next... It would be nice to see Ram and Rom again..."

But alas, the same thing: Neither Blanc, Mina, nor the children answered her calls. "...Maybe they're sleeping in? I heard it's snowing extra hard in Lowee today, and I know that'd make me tired..."

Finally, she tried to contact Lastation... and someone answered!

"Hello...? Who's calling?" Came a voice from the other line; Is that Kei I hear?

"Ah, Kei! This is Nepgear; How are things?"

The oracle was silent for a moment, then answered. "...Nepgear? Why... Why are you calling here? What business can you possibly have with me now?"

"Um, well... I've been searching all over for Neptune, but I can't find her anywhere! So, I was wondering if maybe she went to Lastation to hang out with Noire, or something?"

"...Is this some kind of a joke?"

"H-Huh? N-No, of course not! I-I'm just really desperate right now! I need to find Neptune! She... She left so suddenly, and I don't know where she could be... Any help at all would be greatly appreciated."

Kei rubbed her forehead, and spoke after a moment of pause. "...You really want to find Neptune? ...Then have a look inside the forest behind your Basilicom; There's that small clearing that she loves to hide in. I can assure you that you will find her there..."

Nepgear's eyes widened, and she grinned cheerfully. "A-Ah! T-Thank you, Kei! Oh goodness, why didn't I think of looking there before? Of course she'd be there! ...Thanks again so much, Kei; Give my regards to Uni, okay? Bye now!" With a happy hum, the candidate hung up the phone and skipped off in the direction of the forest.

The odd call done, Kei hung up her phone and violently tossed it across the room. She slammed her arm to the wall, and dug her face into her sleeve. "D-Damn it..." She sobbed, having a hard time controlling her breathing... "...Damn it..."

...

A little while later, Gear returned to Planeptune's Basilicom, where IF, Compa, and Histoire were discussing some important matter concerning Gamindustri (I can only presume).

"Guys! I finally found Neptune, and we're about to have our picnic. Would any of you care to join us?"

IF and Compa smiled rather awkwardly, and shook their heads. "N-No thanks, Gear... Er, uh, we promised to help Histoire with something... B-But don't let that hold you back! H-Have fun!"

The medic nodded her head rapidly. "Y-Yeah! Go on without us, Ge-Ge! We can have fun together s-some other time!"

Histoire nodded as well, rather slowly. "Yes... I would love to go, Nepgear, but I am far too busy at the moment... I deeply apologize."

The CPU candidate smiled. "No, you don't have to apologize; I perfectly understand." She then picked her basket back up, and walked out the door. "Well, don't want to keep Neptune waiting... See ya later, guys!"

"B-Bye again, Gear!" IF called, and the candidate left the building. The brunette sighed. "...Is she really gonna be all right?"

Compa lowered her eyes to the floor. "...I sure hope so... Ge-Ge's really not taking this well at all, though... It doesn't look too good."

"Crap, none of us are taking this well!" IF snapped, and she turned her head away. "...You don't see me acting like a lunatic, though..."

The tome fairy hovered over to the battle-hardened veteran and gently clasped her shoulder. "...It's all right... We just need to give her some more time; This is how she copes, whether we like it or not..."

"...I can understand her locking herself away for days on end, but... this!? Shit..." Tears began to trickle down from the brunette's eyes, and Compa hurried over to hug her.

"It's all right, Iffy... I-It's all right..."

...

"Sis, I'm back!" Nepgear called, and she set down three towels around a larger one. Taking a seat on one, she pulled out a few sandwiches from her basket and set them down in front of the two empty seats. "Look! Uni even decided to have lunch with us! You remember: She's my best friend in the whole world! Isn't that great?"

The candidate motioned towards the empty towel to her right, as if there was... someone actually sitting there. She then giggled, as if she heard a funny remark.

"Tee hee, no need to get so embarrassed all the time, Uni... Ok, be sure to eat up, you two! I... made the sandwiches myself..."

O-Oh my... Does she really...?

Nepgear took a bite, and then began speaking again. "Y'know... Neptune, we should really invite Noire next time..." Another bite. "...I mean, I know that she always acts so serious and stern, but... I know for a fact that she really cares about you... She'd really like to be here with us." Yet another bite. "...I'd really like for her to be here with us..."

Slowly, as if trying to hide from the truth, Nepgear lifted her head and longingly gazed at the object that rested before one of the empty seats: A shrine, dedicated to a group of goddesses who had passed away... Goddesses who had been sacrificed...

...Family and friends who had been sacrificed.

The large stone monument was adorned with a small but amazing picture: One of Neptune's smiling face. Beneath that were inscriptions of certain names: Noire, Uni, Blanc, Ram, Rom, Vert... O-Oh dear...

Nepgear reached out and lightly traced her finger along Neptune's picture. "...T-Thank you for being here with me today... I...I couldn't go on without you all..." A lone tear adorned the candidate's cheek as she turned to look up at the sky. "I love you all... Please, never leave me..."

And thus, the CPU candidate... nay, Planeptune's new CPU... remained there for a long while, just staring longingly at the cloudy sky...

W-What is this...? This wasn't supposed to... be in the script...!? W-Wha...?

...

Later that night, once everyone that remained had fallen into their troubled sleep, Histoire journeyed into the room of the Basilicom that now housed the most damned object in all of Gamindustri: Gehaburn, the Demon Sword.

Resting her small hand upon the blade that claimed the blood of many, she closed her eyes in quiet reflection.

"...Wherever you are... Wherever you all may be... Just know that I... that WE all miss you dearly; Not a single day goes by where we do not remember your loving smiles..." The tome, against her will, began crying, just like so many before her. "...S-Someday, I hope that we may all come together again and rejoice in each other's company, j-just like before... I-I hope to see you all a-again one day..."

And, without another word, Histoire tidied herself up and went to rest her weary head...

**...THE BLOOD OF MANY: END**

* * *

...

...No! I'm not continuing today! Screw it all... What the hell was that!? Wha...?

...I'm cutting this chapter short. Next time, I'll read the rest of the script, but... shit, I can't go on after that... Why did that just happen!? What's going on...!? Where and when the hell did that take place?

...Could it have been... another world? Did we just catch a glimpse of another side? ...But, if so, what was the significance?

...And I'm still... so... tired...


	5. Another Story!

_"Yes... Um, I-I'd like a room for the night... J-Just one night."_

_Lastation's CPU Candidate, Uni, awkwardly stood at a Planeptune hotel's reception desk, holding her arms behind her back and looking as aloof as ever._

_The receptionist smiled knowingly at the young tsundere, using her hand to gracefully flip her own hair... O-Oh no! No, it can't be!_

_"Hm, and what's a cute little girl like you doin' in a hotel all by yer lonesome? You must not be from around these parts, huh?" Said the familiar brown-haired young woman who had made cameos in the past three chapters... She has a name tag this time: "Alma"... Yep, shoulda figured she'd have a new name today._

_Uni puffed out a cheek and looked away. "...I-I'm just meeting someone tomorrow morning... A-A f-f-f-friend, that's all!"_

_"Alma" grinned slyly, a staple of this enigmatic woman. "Ooh-hoohoohoohoo... What's his name?... A-heh-he-hmm, or, HER name?"_

_Black Sister's eyes widened. "Wh-Wh-Wha!? ...W-What are you saying!? I-I-I-It's nothing like that at all!" Ah, the wonders of a tsundere..._

_The brown-haired young woman flipped her hair again, almost as if she were flirting with the young girl. "No need to be shy about it; Love is such a wonderful thing..." In a flash, her eyes seemed to darken, and she turned her gaze downwards, a longing expression seemingly coming from nowhere. "...If you love somebody, be sure to let them know, 'kay? I... screwed up long ago..."_

_The woman's words intrigued the bashful tsundere. "...S-Screwed up? ...What do you mean?"_

_Alma leaned her cheek upon her left hand and stared off into space, her mind practically crossing the never-ending universe to find some long-lost memory. "...Long ago- Heh, I was a very, VERY different person back then- Well, there was this girl. Beginning of high school, I sat next to her in every class, and I just fell in love with her energy, her very being. Everything that made her who she was simply captivated me... I knew even then, when I was a mere teenager, that I'd never meet as pure a soul as her again... And I was correct. Every day and night, she was all I could think about. I dreamed of being with her for the rest of my days, and it was in those illusions that I found the greatest happiness I've ever felt. And yet... that's all they were: Illusions... The cheerful dreams would turn into sour thoughts the moment I woke up and realized that I could never achieve the happiness I long sought."_

_Uni was stunned at the woman's sudden honest words, and could only lean her head in closer to hear the rest. Not that she was interested or anything!... Hm, that's admittedly more of Noire's schtick.  
_

_She continued. "I was such a coward back then; Hell, I'm still a coward now. I could never profess my feelings to that amazing goddess, for if she rejected me... Well, I wouldn't even have hope, would I? As long as I knew she didn't reject me, though, I could continue relishing those dreams that hurt so good... If her unknown feelings became known, however, and she didn't feel the same... then the imaginary walls I built around myself would crumble, and I'd be left with less than I had before... I was too cowardly to even try, and before the end of my second year of school, she was gone; Moved away, just like that..." Alma clenched her eyes shut, the painful memories practically inflicting pain upon her body and soul. "...Ever since then, I can only wonder how things could've played out if I was just a tad more brave. What if I hadn't sold myself short? Perhaps... none of this would have ever happened; Nothing that is to come will have had to happen..."_

_The CPU Candidate rubbed the back of her head awkwardly, struggling to find something to say; Hell, you'd be hard-pressed to speak after that too! Finally, she said something. "...S-So... You would say that taking a big chance... would have been worth it? No matter how embarrassing or painful the answer may be... you would confess your feelings if you had the chance?" She immediately thought of her best friend in the whole world, and blushed._

_Alma was silent for a moment, then snapped her head up and grinned cheerfully... It's like she's a different person now. "Yep! Don't make the same mistakes I did, little lady! If you have someone you care about, then don't let another moment pass without them knowing how you feel; You never know when it'll be too late..." She playfully tapped the tsundere on the shoulder. "Heh, besides, if YOU confessed your love for me, I'd be completely giddy, and I don't even know you! I'm sure this dear friend of yours feels the same as you do."_

_Uni wanted to retort with 'W-When did I say anything about a dear friend!? I-It's not like I love her, or anything!', but she held herself back. Instead, she nodded, and looked at Alma with uncertain eyes. "...I-I understand... I-I'll keep that in mind... So, uh, one room please!"_

_The brown-haired young woman chuckled. "Make me proud, young Uni." She reached behind her and grabbed the key card for the hotel room, and handed it over. "You have room 23 on the fourth floor. Enjoy your stay~"_

_"Thank you!" Black Sister happily took the key and skipped to the elevator._

_The enigmatic woman happily watched the CPU Candidate hop off, and a feeling of contentment washed over her. "Whew... That takes care of those girls, at least. How'd you enjoy that tale I weaved? Did you ever possibly expect that? ...Whatever the case, my interference should be enough to kick-start the script... Oh, but my work is nowhere near done yet... Where should I go next? One week from now? Three weeks? A whole year? Or... Heh, THAT world?" She stroked her chin for a moment, then shrugged. "Oh well... All that matters is that I intrigue you all while also supplying some nice yuri scenes... You like yuri, right? Why else would you have read this far? Hmmhmm... I'll give you all what you want to see. For the moment, I'll give you complete yuri fluff; As You Like It, correct?" W-What is she talking about!? And... why does it seem like she's looking directly at me!?_

_...Or... is she looking directly at YOU?_

_Waiting for the doors to close, Uni could see the receptionist desk straight ahead of her. Alma was now smirking most slyly. A sudden thought came to the tsundere's mind. "...H-Hey, wait... How'd she know my name!? I never told her that!" Before she could call out to the woman, though, the elevator closed and headed for the fourth floor. "...Oh well, maybe she recognized me and kept silent until that second... I'll ask her next time I see her..."_

_Oh, but when Uni would later return to the lobby, she would find that a brown-haired young woman named Alma had never worked for the hotel in all its years of service..._

* * *

...

...Oh, you're back... Hi there, I guess...

...Perhaps I should apologize for last time... even though I had nothing to do with it.

That vignette last time... Damn, I still can't figure it out! I mean, I'm positive it was a scene from a completely separate universe as the one our heroines are from, but... well, why the hell'd we see it? What was the point? Is this new author just trying to screw with us? To make us depressed? I don't freakin' understand...

...Oh well, no use fretting over things we don't understand. I'm still unsure how I even eat, drink, or breathe, to be honest, so I'm no stranger to oddities...

Let's just get this show on the road, and hope that nothing like that ever happens again...

...

"Hello there, citizens of Lowee! Man, what a bigger turnout than we were expecting... Thank you all for coming! Now, without further ado, let's begin with our first grand illusion!" Adrian hammed to the audience, and cheers sounded in anticipation... Are the people of Lowee really that excited by simple magic shows?

Almaz took center stage, and motioned dramatically towards the eager viewers. "For our first miracle, we shall.. Hey, is it way too dark tonight, or is it just me? ...Hm, well, that won't do. How about we... light this show up!" With dramatic flair, the young man gestured his hands over the whole park, and in a flash, floating orbs of flame illuminated the modest stage. The crowd immediately oohed and aahed, and a roar of applause began to swarm.

Adrian flashed a grin at Almaz; They had this in the bag.

...

The show continued, and Alex took the stage briefly, being the guinea pig for the "Disappearing Assistant" act. Once that was through, he returned to his out-of-view seat and returned to choosing the rehearsed cheats. However, this quickly became quite boring for the easily irritated young man, so he opted to have some fun.

No matter how hard he tried, his mind constantly jumped back to that bread vendor, and how he had given up nearly everything just because false memories from some cheat code took over his mind. It had enabled the brothers to practically rob the poor man blind.

Immoral? Yes... but, was that any reason to avoid a simple cheat? The way Alex now saw it, the vendor himself was at fault for being such a low level. They didn't do anything wrong then, huh? It was like he was asking to be robbed... "Hmm... Heh heh heh... What are the limits to this friendship-increasing code, I wonder? Those pansies are too scared to use it again... but why shouldn't we use what we have available to us?" He read over the description, learning that the target no longer needed to be Level 2 or lower; Ever since the tome leveled up, the criteria had apparently changed to less than Level 10, and that the target must be within 15 meters of the book. "...Doesn't say nuthin' about eye contact..." Alex carefully peeked his head out, and picked one particular audience member in the first row: A sketchy-looking man with pale skin, a dark trench coat, and black, sorta pointy hair. He looked like an NPC that would belong on Lastation more than Lowee, so he must've been a tourist.

For whatever reason, the stranger just didn't sit well with the angry brown-haired young man; Something about his devious expression made the boy want to sock him square in the jaw, to put it bluntly. Perhaps it would be fun to mess with him...

Alex quickly hid his head before the audience could notice him, and focused his mind on the stranger. "Hehe... Okay, I can see his bloody smug face in my mind... Ugh, he must be such a creep. He'll make a great slave... Yeah-he-hah, Let's do this!" Alex selected the check box, and the familiar ding of success sounded. "Ha ha... Not even Level 10, ya dipshit? Man, that's rich... Ooh, maybe he'll give me a gift after the show? Maybe his whole wallet... Heh heh..." Er... Is it just me, or is this idea very, VERY stupid?

In the audience, the brooding gentleman's eyes widened in some sort of realization, but he continued to watch the show with his quiet, mysterious demeanor...

...

Yet more time passed(why are we still in this section?), and the boys were setting up their final act: Turning the floating orbs of flame into pure ice. However... Well, let's just watch...

Almaz gestured energetically again, and the spectators watched in awe as the flames swiftly transmorphed into frozen spheres right before their very eyes.

"Ha Ha! Thank you, dear audience! We were all very pleased to have yo-" Before Adrian could finish his closing remarks, something unexpected happened(big shocker): An arrow shot out and smashed one of the ice orbs. The three brothers looked towards the direction the shot came from, and saw a boy in tacky green clothing holding a bow. Subtle. Around him at all sides were a crap-load of Lowee guards... Hm? Why are peacekeepers here? ...Wait, Lowee has functioning guards!?

"Halt this madness at once!" One guard shouted at the top of his breath; He was extremely tall and lanky, wore a purple jumpsuit as his armor and a purple hat with an upside-down letter 'T', and had a name tag that read 'Watwintails.' More subtle.

Adrian, beginning to feel panicked, stepped forward to address the newcomer. "Er, h-hello, officer! Uhm, uh... what seems to be the problem?"

Watwintails snorted and struck a victory pose with his thumb in front of his face. "Why, this devilry you boys are committing is the problem! Lady White Heart has, on multiple occasions, made it absolutely clear that she utterly abhors magicians playing in public on her land! Do you wish to be seen as heretics?" The man turned to the audience, and began screaming. "That goes for all of you, as well! Go, scram! Get outta here!"

The crowd lost their composure, and a majority of them ran off. A select few remained, either frozen in fear, or simply unafraid of the guards. The eerie man yet stood there, smiling contentedly.

Almaz's eyes widened, and tears began to swell up. "H-H-H-H-Heretics! I-I-I don't wanna be a heretic!"

Alex slapped his brother across the face. "Well, don't just give in, ya daft idiot!" Now, he shot a glare at the peace agent. "...Yo, shitbag! Rumor has it, Lady White Heart's not even here at the moment! She left everyone behind because she was afraid of some bloody dragons... If she's not here, why should we give a rat's ass about her opinions?"

Watwintails' upper lip began twitching. "...Here's why, ya jackass!" He raised his right hand, and swiped it down furiously. In a flash, the boy in green spandex drew back his bow, and the aggregation of soldiers followed suit. "Teach 'em a lesson, men!"

The arrows launched into the night sky, and the three brothers watched in stunned silence for a moment before ducking for cover. The piercing projectiles stabbed the very ground they had just stood upon; These guys were serious.

"S-S-Shit, let's get outta here!" Almaz cried, and he began to run off.

Adrian glared at the lead guard from behind cover, and nodded. "...Yeah, we're done here... We'll get nowhere if we anger the government..." ...He doesn't look too good... Adrian seems like he's gonna flip out.

Alex puffed out a cheek, his left eye twitching in anger. "...I hope you wake up dead, arsehole!" He hollered. Clenching his fist, he began muttering beneath his breath. "...What I wouldn't do to wipe that smirk off your shitty face and hang your hat on my wall as a trophy... heheh..." Well... those weren't the words of a deranged sociopathic maniac or anything. Either way, the angered young man proceeded to flee the scene with Adrian.

Meanwhile, in the audience, the pale man grinned as widely as ever, and turned to look at the victorious Watwintails... Hm, you don't suppose he heard what Alex just said, do you?

* * *

**LIGHTER AND SOFTER  
**

"Kei! ...Hey, Kei!? Are you in there? I need to ask you something!"

The door to the oracle's room slowly creaked open, and a somewhat-disgruntled face stuck out through the crack. "Yes Uni, what is it? I am in the middle of some... rather important business right now. It would be best to make this quick." Hm, something in Kei's voice sounds rather... strained, or desperate... I wonder what that means?

Lastation's CPU Candidate was holding a phone, skipping back and forth excitedly. "Nepgear wants to know if she can sleep over tonight. Can she? Can she!?" Man, calm down there, child!

The ice-cold oracle stared in silence for a moment, then sighed. "Fine... But promise me this: You both must keep the noise down, understood? Your sister isn't here, so I've been left with all the work again; I need total concentration. Is that clear?"

Uni nodded with a giant grin. "Ahum! Thank you, Kei! We promise!" And with that, she ran back down the hall to deliver the good news to Planeptune's candidate.

Quietly, Kei shut her door and wandered over to her mattress. Her expression blank, she lit a match, and used it to ignite a few candles scattered about the room. Hmm...?

Content, she plopped onto her mattress, and lowered herself flat on her back. From nowhere, she produced a photograph in one hand, and a cellphone in the other... Er, what's she up to? Is this really "important business?"

...You know, I didn't notice when she was talking to Uni, but Kei sure is wearing some pretty uncharacteristic... clothing, if I do say so myself... Hell, does that even count as clothing? ...Oh! Uh, let's move on; This isn't important...

...

Anyways, a little backdrop for this scene: It's a standard night on Lastation, sometime during the year... Sorry, the script doesn't mention whether this takes place before or after the holiday season. Guess you'll just have to guess/infer/not care. Whenever it is, Lady Black Heart had journeyed to Planeptune for the night, for reasons that should be somewhat obvious by now. So, the Basilicom/house/whatever the hell it's supposed to be was empty except for Uni and Kei... And, er, Nepgear, I guess.

Planeptune's CPU Candidate arrived at the house in record time, and the two girlfriends greeted each other warmly (as always). A little time passed, and they eventually ended up in Uni's bedroom(Woah, don't go imagining dirty things!), surfing through multiple television channels in an attempt to find something decent enough to watch.

"Wow... I'll never take the channels we get on Planeptune for granted again; You really have nothing on TV!" Nepgear declared in wonderment, her hand charmingly on her cheek. Indeed; Lastation, for as steam-punky and advanced it was, most certainly had the worst line-up of television channels you could find in Gamindustri.

"Grr, there has to be something on!" Uni groaned, and she rapidly began pressing her thumb upon the channel button on the remote. When her finger became too sore to continue button mashing, she dropped the remote in frustration, and a most peculiar television program claimed their screen.

"Hm, what's this?" The purple-haired candidate cocked her head to the side. On the TV screen was a cowboy slowly inching up to a poor helpless creature in the wild.

Lastation's candidate's eyes lit up. "Ooh, cool! A cowboy movie!" The small girl leaned her head closer to the screen, immediately enthralled.

The cowboy slowly... ever so slowly... creeped up to the beast that was just out of the camera's sight. He ever so carefully lifted his rifle, and... the creature began flying!

"G-Goodness! What is that!?" Nepgear gasped in her signature fashion. The sight was truly unsettling, I must say. You see, the creature the cowboy had been stalking was no mere bird, or bison; Oh no, it was a human being! In the most uncanny manner imaginable, the being flapped its arms as if they were grand wings, and its torso contorted in horrible poses. And, perhaps worst of all... The cowboy didn't react at all. It was as if he was seeing a normal bird lifting off; This was a casual sight for him! Oh dear lord, this is horrifying! Turn the TV off, now!

"...W-Wow, that was kinda creepy... Worst cowboy movie ever..." The young tsundere pouted, one of her cheeks visibly puffed out. Did she always enjoy cowboy flicks? I can't honestly remember.

The purple-haired girl was about to reply, when a crash sounded from outside the window. "A-Ah! That was pretty loud... What do you suppose it was?"

Uni instinctively leapt out of bed, grabbed her... uh, gigantically gigantic shotgun, and creeped towards the door. "I'll check it out. You stay here, Nepgear; it could be a robber!"

Nepgear nodded, an unsure expression on her face. "O-Ok... Please stay safe!"

The tsundere flashed a grin, struck a thumbs up, and pretended to tip a cowboy hat. "Don't worry babe, I got this." Weird.

And so, the young candidate journeyed outside the basilicom-house thing (seriously, why haven't any of the authors of this saga clarified this issue yet?), and made her way to under her window. Immediately, she figured out that two overturned trash cans must have made such a boisterous commotion. Behind them, however, was... well, something.

Some creature, shrouded in the shadows, was eating the garbage.

"H-Hey! D-D-Don't you dare pull any funny business! I-I-I-I-I got a shotgun, and I know how to use it!" Heh, yeah... Tell that to all the people who claim your attack accuracy is somewhere in the negatives.

A weak whinnying and 'cawing' sound emanated from behind the downed objects, causing Uni to immediately lower her gun. "T-That sound... I-It can't be...!" Almost in a daze, the young tsundere scurried towards the cans and saw, to her delight, a baby horsebird. The majestic creature, with an unusual blue mane, stared up at her with large puppy-dog eyes, and uttered out another "neigh."

Uni was smitten by the first glance. "Oh man, you are just the cutest wittle horsey-worsey I've ever seen; Yes you are! Yes you are! Teehee~" Wow, she sure is happy. I don't think I've ever seen her act in such a way. Interesting... "...Woah, your mane is blue! So pretty... I have to show you to Nepgear~"

And that she did.

"Aw, you are sooo cute! Can I... Can I pet him?" Nepgear asked, slowly extending a cautious hand. Uni nodded cheerfully, and the girls began petting the baby animal. It neighed some more, and the innocent girlfriends continued reveling in its utter adorable-ness.

The diabetes-inducing scene continued for a while, until Planeptune's candidate came back to her senses. "...Hm, so where are his parents? Surely this little fellow must have a mother or father out there? They must be worried sick..." A good point, indeed.

Lastation's candidate heard and somewhat agreed with her words, but tried to dismiss them as best she could. "I dunno... But, why would he be scrounging around in the trash if he had a home?"

"Well, maybe he got separated? If monsters can be split from their own pack, then the same can happen to horsebirds, especially babies."

Uni scowled a bit, realizing where this was going. "...W-Well, m-maybe Horsey likes it better here!" Huh, guess they decided to name the little guy "Horsey"... Gee, how creative...

Nepgear smiled, but shook her head. "Uni... You know we can't keep him. Horsey has a family and a home out there in the wild, and he'd just feel restrained if we kept him here... And besides, Kei and Noire would never agree to a pet without a lengthy debate."

"...You're right..." The little tsundere held up Horsey in front of her face, and stared in his eyes. "...B-But he's so cute!"

"Uni..."

"...Oh, I know... Fine, but what should we do? We can't just go out into the forest at night and begin searching for his pack, can we?" Well, they could, and they did. As bad an idea as it sounded, the two candidates snuck out of the house and journeyed into the nearby forest... Wait, so you mean to tell me that both Planeptune and Lastation have a random forest dungeon just... lying right beside the Basilicoms, or the houses of the CPUs, or whatever the hell they are!? That's... Aw, screw it; I'm just happy this hasn't turned depressing yet. I'm still on edge from last time...

So, what do you think they found? Well, I'll just answer that for you: Nothing. The girls searched and searched and searched for at least an hour, but alas, no papa and mama horsebird. Honestly, what were they expecting? I mean, it's the middle of the damn night; What wild creature would allow themselves to be found?

Nepgear's shoulders sank in resignation and exhaustion. "No luck... Oh well, we can always try again first thing in the morning! I'm sure Horsey's parents will be searching here by then." She took the time to gently caress the infant's mane. "Guess we have no choice: You should stay with us for the night, Horsey. As long as we hide you from Kei, everything will be fine."

Uni's face was bright, and she cuddled against the horsebird's face. "We'll take real good care of you, Horsey! I can even groom your hair, if you want~" I guess it's safe to say that the tsundere is glad that they couldn't find the parents. Not in a cruel manner, mind you, but... Eh, you can figure it out.

With the search done for the night, the innocent couple returned to the Basilicom(?)...

...But little did they know, there was an actual conflict in this vignette! Spying on them from the bushes was a scraggly weasel of a man, who had a nack(sic?) for getting himself in trouble. Oddly enough, he only had four fingers on each hand; possibly as a result of some gang ritual? He was clad in cliché cowboy clothing, with his prominent hat and leather outfit. He carried a small assortment of rifles on a sling on his back, but the most interesting weapon was his silver magnum, tucked away in the holster on his side.

The man's name was Fang the Hunter... and no, that's not his moniker; The man's birth certificate seriously reads: "Fang the Hunter." With a name like that, the guy really didn't have much of a choice in what profession to follow.

"Would'ja lookit that there fine specimen... A blue mane? Why, that'll fetch a fine price on the market, eh? ...Heh, but I think it'll find a much better home on the walls of mah shed." The man took out a toothpick and ran it between his teeth (of course). Gee, nothing in his name really is a lie: He has a humongous fang on the right side of his jaw! "Hmm... But I can't do a darn thing wit' those CPU Candidates escortin' 'im around... Time ta break out my ol' creative juices!" Ugh, does anyone speak with full words in this fanfic? ...Oh, and he recognizes the candidates? That's a first.

Once he was finished with awkwardly tending to his mouth, Fang emerged from the bush and began to stalk his prey...

...

"There ya go! You can sleep right here, Horsey." Uni gleamed as she pointed at the makeshift bed. The horsebird sniffed it for a second, made his usual whinnying sound, and took a seat.

The purple-haired candidate giggled. "I think he likes it~"

The tsundere, happy beyond words, quietly snuck up behind Nepgear and gently wrapped her arms around her waist. "...Thanks for the help, Nepgear... I-I'm glad you're here tonight. It's always lonely without you..."

Nepgear turned her head to kiss her girlfriend's cheek. "I love you, Uni... Teehee, I wish I could come here every day!... But Neptune'll probably blow up Planeptune without my help."

"...I know... I-I love you, too..." The girls shared a kiss, and eventually disrobed into their pajamas and climbed into bed, holding each other as they drifted off. Ah, time for them to get some shut-eye...

...Hm... Sleep would be... pretty good... right... about... now... *snore*

...!

...A-Ah! What was that!? D-Did you hear that just now? ...Er, no, you couldn't have... B-But I swear, I just heard a loud knocking sound. Man, that startled me... U-Uh, but it's not like I fell asleep, i-if that's what you're thinkin'!

The two young girls instantly leapt out of bed; Apparently, they heard the loud noise too. "I-Is someone knocking on the front door?" Nepgear asked, her head darting from side-to-side in confusion. "G-Goodness, it's way past midnight! Who could possibly be knocking?"

Uni pulled on her standard attire and grabbed the triple-barreled shotgun lying beside the bed. "I don't know, but I'm not takin' any chances. If it's a creep, I'll knock him right upside the head!" She began walking out the door, but a delicate hand grasped her arm.

"I-I'm going with you!" Nepgear demanded, already wearing her standard clothes as well. The little tsundere could only nod, and they both continued towards the front door.

They opened the door, and a man wearing a classy business suit stood on the other side... Hey, wait a minute...

Uni raised a single eyebrow, and hid her gun behind her back. "E-Er... H-Hello there... How may I help you...?"

That's... That's Fang, no doubt about it. He sure cleaned himself up a bit in such a short amount of time, though... "Why, good morning, Miss! I am here on this fine morning to present you wit' an offer you can't refuse." Please, no more offers... and nice cover, buddy; You're trying to sell them something at 3 AM? You must be lonely...

The tsundere was taken aback. "Offer? What type of offer? It better not be anything sick or perverted!"

"No, no... Nothing of the sort. I would merely like to sell you something very important."

Nepgear popped her head in the doorway. "Ooh, what are you selling? Cookies? Neptune wanted me to buy some for her on my way home, so that would help me out."

"Fang" held his hands up defensively. "Er, no, not cookies... Something better: A... uh, loan!"

Uni tilted her head. "A loan? ...A loan for what?"

"Uhhhh... A super-mega-awesome-grand-spectacular-fubar loan! ...Y-Yeah, I want you to buy an awesome loan." What the hell is he spoutin' now? I guess he's not an expert at improv.

Nepgear clearly felt the same sense of confusion as I. "Buy an awesome loan? But, do you even buy loans? People apply for loans, but do they buy them? I admit, I have absolutely no experience with these types of things..."

Fang, now sweating from head to toe, continued to blurt out nonsense. "Uh, well, this is most certainly a loan that you buy! Y-Yeah... I-It'll protect your house from centipedes! ...Yep, you can never have too much protection against... centipedes..."

Uni's eyes widened. "C-C-Centipedes!? I-I don't want our house to be filled with centipedes... Will this loan really protect us?"

Fang the Hunter sighed to himself; Somehow, his plan was working. "Yepperoo! Simply buy this loan and you will guarantee that yer house remains centipede-free. Anything's worth keepin' them nastay buggers out, eh?"

The candidates exchanged quick glances. O-Oh no... Are they seriously falling for this? How dense can ya get? Maybe they're just tired, and this whole scenario is so stupid that they have to believe it? "M-Maybe if the house has a guaranteed protection against centipedes, Kei will be in a better mood a lot more." Planeptune's CPU candidate suggested.

The young tsundere considered for a moment, then nodded. "Hmm... Sure, I guess we'll buy this loan, or whatever... It won't be expensive, right?"

Fang grinned, and reached into his pocket. Out from within came a clipboard and an application sheet. "Oh, it won't cost nearly as much as you'd expect! Simply fill out yer personal info here, and I'll send you the rest of the papah-work tomorrah."

The girls nodded, and swiftly immersed themselves in the application sheet. Wow, I never knew the threat of centipedes could bring about such a strong reaction in them...

Er, is it just me (Have I said that a lot?), or are those two candidates acting way too gullible? I mean, they weren't this dense before, were they...?

The hunter nodded his head in a cocky fashion, and quietly snuck past the candidates, who were too engrossed in the hard-to-read document to notice their periphery vision. "Only have a short windah of opportunity before they notice I'm gone... Now, where's that critter?"

As if on cue, a "neigh" sounded from upstairs, and Fang took off almost immediately. Having some good experience with tracking, his journey took him to the candidates' bedroom, and his mark was there in plain sight!

"There ya are... Come ta papa, li'l beauty..." The man slowly approached the baby horsebird, and reached to pick it up... when it bit him. "Aaaaw! Shit! Mah fingah!" Horsey wasted no time; He leapt up from the makeshift bed and scurried out into the hall. Fang tripped over his own feet, but then began the pursuit.

The critter lead him to an open door at the end of the hallway, and hopped out-of-the-way just in time. Caught by surprise, Fang the Hunter ran straight into the small closet and into a cluttered wall. The wind knocked out of him, he remained on his back for a good while. Wow... This guy's a clumsy idiot, huh? Is everybody in this chapter stupid?

Still at the door, Nepgear and Uni looked up from the application upon hearing a commotion upstairs. "Huh? Where'd Mr. Business Man go? You don't think he's looking for the bathroom, do you?" The purple-haired girl asked, tilting her head.

The little tsundere's eyes widened. "W-Wuh oh! If he keeps making loud noises, Kei'll get really REALLY mad... Actually, now that I think about it, she'll probably be mad that we're buying a loan without her permission... C-Crap, we gotta find him!" Oh boy, I sense some wacky shenanigans coming up...

...

The first thing the girls thought to do was check on Horsey, but to their dismay, he was missing. Figuring the strange man must've spooked him, they quickly journeyed back into the hall. After a moment, the sound of rushing footsteps could be heard; Why, it sounds like they're coming from the direction of Kei's room! How contrived!

Rushing as best they could, the candidates were relieved to spot Horsey... clawing at the oracle's door (Stop with the dramatic pauses, script)! "H-Horsey! S-Stop that!" Uni dived for the creature, and successfully scooped him up... Well, that was simple.

...Too bad the preoccupied woman on the other side of the door heard the noise.

The door slowly inched open, allowing the oracle's face to be seen through the cracks. "...The walls in this room are lined with concrete and vinyl; sound proof in every regard. So, how is it that I can hear you two fool around!? What in Gamindustri are you doing?" The oracle was clearly not amused, but besides that point, her face was flushed and her hair was ruffled. What's... going on in that room? And what is the picture of Blanc and the candles for?

"W-W-We're so, so sorry Kei! We were just chasing the bab-" Nepgear almost blurted out that they had found a baby horsebird in the wild and that it started running for some reason, but Uni cut her off. She quickly made up some bullshit excuse.

"A-Ah, uh... Y-Yeah, we're very sorry, Kei... N-Nepgear just tripped and crashed into the wall... Her, uh, shoes were untied... W-We promise to keep the noise down from now on." I guess Uni assumed that if they told the truth, the oracle would become even more pissed, and would throw the helpless animal out into the cold. Makes sense, I guess... If anything, it enables this plot to occur with the candidates being alone in their struggle. Ham-fisted, sure, but... Oh well...

The disgruntled woman, looking more sloppy than ever before, softly shook her head. "...Fine, but if you two act out of line one more time, I'll make you both finish all the paperwork I have yet to get to. 20 hours of papers, all in one session... Do you understand?"

The couple nodded. "H-Hai!" Er, what's with the gratuitous Japanese? This is an English dub... Hm, well, I guess "Tsundere" and "Boke" are used quite commonly here too, so... neh?

Still looking annoyed, Kei slowly shut the door, and resumed her position on the bed. Picking up the phone, she began speaking. "...Sorry about that... Now, where were we?..."

...

The two girls returned to the lobby, holding Horsey the entire time. "Whew, that was a close one..." Uni sighed, lightly rubbing the horsebird's chin.

"Yeah... I really don't want to do all that paperwork..." Nepgear remarked, tilting her head to one side. "...Um, but aren't we forgetting something...?" Yeah, now that you mention it...

"Damn straight, ya ah!"

Freezing in place, the candidates slowly turned around, and saw Fang pointing a magnum in their general direction.

Uni's eyes widened entirely. "Uh oh! ...W-Where'd the gun come from?"

Purple Sister nodded her head. "Y-Yeah... Er, d-did you find the bathroom okay?"

Fang's eyes squinted in slight confusion. "Bathroom...? Uh... Oh, screw this charade!" With one swift motion, he gripped his suit, ripped it off of him, and tossed it to the floor... How does everyone do that so easily? Beneath, his cowboy attire could be seen by all! "I ain't no businessman, and I certainly don't wanna sell ya twerps a loan... That's not even a thing!" He reached into his pocket and took out a fancy cigar and lit it. "...Naw, I'm Lastation's numbah one huntah, and I'm after yer horsebird there. Now, fork 'im over, and no'ne 'il get hurt." Dear Goddess, his accent is getting more flanderized by the second! Make it stop!

Black Sister's eyes narrowed. "A... hunter!? You... You're a creep, ya know that? Who would hunt such majestic creatures?" Uh, you would, Uni; If I'm remembering correctly, horsebirds are standard enemies that you repeatedly killed for experience points... I guess times were different...

"I'm just doin' mah job..." He jabbed the gun forward, signaling that he meant business. "...Now, give him here, and I won't have ta shoot ya cute li'le girlies."

Oh, but Nepgear wasn't ready to back down. A sudden thought occurred to her. "...Um, Mr. Hunter... Do you know what you're doing?"

"...What does it look like I'm doin'? I'm holdin' you two up at gunpoint!"

"...Yeah... in Lastation's Basilicom... You're pointing a gun at two CPU Candidates in a Basilicom."

Uni looked at Nepgear, amazed. "...Y-Yeah! This is more than just a crime, buddy! Not only did you sneak in here uninvited, but now you're threatening goddesses! You could go to prison for a long, long time, bub!"

Fang scratched his head embarrassedly, the reality of his actions sinking in. "...Shit... Ya know, maybe this wasn't my best thought out plan..."

Planeptune's candidate looked to her girlfriend. "Uni, now!" At once, the girls sprinted out of the Basilicom and into the night air. Fang the Hunter took a moment to comprehend the situation, and ran off in pursuit.

...

"Crap, he's still chasing us!" Uni cried, holding on to Horsey for dear life. They had been running through the dark forest for a good 10 minutes now... Why didn't we see any of that? Huh...

"G-Goodness, he's catching up fast. I'm... I'm getting kind of tired..." Purple Sister replied, huffing and puffing. It had been quite some time since she had exerted herself to such a degree, so she was pretty out of shape.

Fang, despite constantly tripping over acorns and running right into trees, was admittedly a very speedy runner. Perks of being a hunter, I guess. "S-Stop running, ya twerps! ...I'll kill ya!" Up until now, he had refrained from firing his weapons, lest he seriously harm one of the candidates and screw himself over. However, with the constant running through the dark and the rough bumps to the head, his mind had become dazed. He laced his finger around his magnum's trigger, and fired.

A bullet whizzed by Uni's ear. "T-That almost hit me! That would've been a critical hit for sure..."

"Just... K-Keep running!"

But Uni realized they needed to do something other than run. Holding Horsey with one hand, the girl reached into her... hammerspace?... and pulled out her triple-barreled shotgun. Still running, she attempted to line up the shot with their pursuer, and prepared to pull the trigger.

Fang the Hunter was a much better shot than you'd expect, however. "Ah, nah ya don't!" In a flash, he fired a second blast, knocking the shotgun straight out of Uni's hand.

"O-Ouch! Dammit!" Out of options now, the girls could only keep running.

All the while, a mysterious figure watched the unfolding scene from afar, hidden amongst the trees and shadows... "...It appears Uni is in trouble... Hm, I must think of something fast..." Why, I do believe I recognize that large silhouette... But, it couldn't be _him_... could it...? And... what do you think he's gonna do?

...

...Er, finally, the girlfriends made it through the forest, and found themselves in a wide-open field; No hiding spot in sight.

"End of the line, ya skanks!" Fang snarled. He pulled back the magnum's hammer, and took aim at the animal in Uni's arms. "I'mma kill that there beastie, whether I shoot ya two or not!"

Pressed for time, Uni had a sudden idea... Well, more like she remembered her main superpower. "N-Nepgear... W-Why haven't we transformed yet? We could resist damage easier and kick this guy's ass without any worry!"

"...W-Wow, how did we forget about that? ...Well, I haven't had to transform in so long, so maybe that's why it never crossed my mind..." So, they tried to activate their HDD... but to no avail. "Oh no! We must've used up all our SP while running through the forest!"

"...Crap!" Crap indeed... Wait, how'd they use up their SP while running? Why wasn't this a problem before? Are they just that out of shape?

Fang the Hunter chuckled sinisterly, and cocked his gun again. "Say nighty-night, lil' brats..." Huh... Guess he just doesn't care about murdering girls to get to the horsebird anymore... What's up with these fics and such the negative portrayal of everything male?

"N-No! L-Let Uni and Horsey go! You... You can shoot me instead, if you have to! Just let them go, please!" Nepgear cried, attempting to shield her girlfriend.

"N-Nepgear, no!" The young tsundere would never allow harm come to the girl she loved; She'd rather die then let anything happen! But... well, she was helpless, plain and simple.

Alas, all seemed to be lost... I certainly can't help them, at least, and apparently no one else can... Well, this has taken a turn for the dark. Who's writing this crap?

...Before any shot could be fired, however, the ground began rumbling most intensely. "W-What's happening!?" Purple Sister yelled, her head waving around frantically.

She was clearly utterly unsure what was occurring (Yeah, no shit; She just said that)...

But Uni wasn't. She recognized the intensity of the rumbles, and immediately knew what to expect.

"Nepgear... Follow my lead... Step back slowly..." Lastation's candidate whispered, and her girlfriend did as asked.

The hunter darted his head around as the vibrations picked up speed. "W-W-W-W-What's goin' on!? What are you bitches doin'?"

"Uni...? What's...?"

Black Sister let a single word escape her lips. "Horsebirds."

As if this rather-long vignette wasn't cliché enough yet, a massive herd of horsebirds emerged from the trees, rushing headlong towards Fang the Hunter. Woah, where'd they come from!? Do you suppose... that figure in the forest sent them...?

"H-Holy shite! No... G-Get away from meh! A-Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Despite the man's protests, the swarm of low-level monsters proceeded to knock him down and trample his face with their thick, sharp hooves. "Ah! Owwww! Oooouuuuucch! Aaaaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhh! AAAAIIIIEEEEE! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Jeez, we know you're in pain! Ya don't have to bellow out every different type of standard scream known to literature!

Uni and Nepgear watched in mild horror, but they were finally able to breathe easy; The threat was over. They had kept both themselves and Horsey safe from harm.

Eventually, the long train of horsebirds came to an end, and poor Fang the Hunter was left wallowing in his sorrows on the ground. Damn, whatever your opinion of him may be, ya gotta admit he has some mighty-fine defense stats.

"Whew... I don't think he'll be a problem anymore... Let's go home." Uni said, petting Horsey's chin again. The baby let out another whinny, making her chuckle.

Nepgear was about to nod her head in agreement, but she noticed something at the last second. She grabbed her girlfriend's sleeve lightly. "Uni... Look over there."

The little tsundere turned her head to where Gear was pointing, and gasped; Two fully grown horsebirds, each with blue manes, had yet to run off. Even though she wanted to deny it, she could tell they were the missing parents.

Horsey neighed, and Mommy and Daddy Horsey neighed back.

Planeptune's CPU Candidate smiled sadly down at the child and lovingly pat his head. Then, she looked into her girlfriend's eyes. "...Uni..."

"Y-Yeah... I-I know..." But could she do it? Even in such a short amount of time, Uni had grown quite attached to the baby horsebird; He felt practically like her own child. Would she really be able to just depart with him so easily?

Horsey gently nuzzled his nose against the tsundere's cheek, and held it there for a moment. It was almost as if he was saying goodbye...

Lastation's candidate closed her eyes to hide the tears from Nepgear. "H-H-H-Horsey... I'll miss you... I'll miss you so much!" Sniffling, she wiped her eyes and looked over at the parents. "...But you have a home to get back to... You have a mommy and a daddy who love you very much, and I can't keep you from them." A loving mother and father, eh? ...I wonder... what that feels like...

With a sorrowful smile, the girl gently placed the baby on the grass. The innocent creature stood still for a moment, but then turned and walked over to his parents. Reunited at last, the family all whinnied together, and began the trek back to the herd. Horsey looked back one last time, and was off.

"Goodbye Horsey! You can visit anytime you like!" Nepgear called, waving to the majestic creatures. Once they were out of sight, she turned her attention to her girlfriend, who was crying most intensely. "Uni, it's okay... Please don't cry..."

The tsundere dashed over and hugged the purple-haired girl with all her might. "I-I'm not... c-crying! R-Really, I'm not!" Good job at hiding it.

"Horsey is safe now, Uni. He's going to grow up to be a strong horsebird one day, and I know he'll be the leader of the pack! And... maybe he'll come visit us now and then. You never know."

Gracefully, Nepgear cupped Uni's chin and delicately planted a kiss on her lips. The two sustained that position for an eternal minute, and then silently separated and began the trek back home...

A few minutes later, the hurting man found the energy to sit up, and winced as every muscle in his body responded with pain. "...Blimy, I'm done with this shit. Screw you, mother; I don't care 'bout what you think anymore! I'm quittin' this job, and becomin' a lawyah!"

New resolution in his mind, Fang the Hunter stood up, threw away his magnum and rifle, and... began flapping his arms up and down(!?). After a moment, he achieved lift-off, and he flew away, his body contorting in horribly grotesque manners... O-Oh no! He's one of those things from that cowboy movie! Shit, they do exist!?

...I-I'll just forget I ever saw that...

So, erm, that aside... if he accomplishes his new goal, will his title become Fang the Hunter the Lawyer? Oh well, we'll probably never see him again, so who gives a shit?

...

The girls eventually made it back home, where a most unusual sight awaited them. "Look Uni! Your shotgun's here!"

The tsundere had nearly forgotten that she had dropped her trusty triple-barreled shotgun in the forest, and was confused as to how it made it back here. "...Who do you think found it? This... doesn't make any sense..."

"Hm, maybe it was the same person who sent that herd of horsebirds? They had to have come from somewhere... Teehee, maybe you have a guardian angel!" Nepgear gleamed, and she hugged her girlfriend lovingly.

Uni hugged back, looking in awe at the gun on the doorstep. Now, she couldn't be sure, but she swore she felt the gaze of staring eyes at that second. Someone was watching her from the darkness; A villain, perhaps? Or... an unexpected ally?

...It can't be who I think it is... right?

Inside, the two innocent lovers were just about ready to go to bed, when (big surprise) one last plot complication surfaced: Nepgear, in her exhausted clumsiness, slipped after stepping on a uniform that was strewn across the floor... Yep, it's the business suit that Fang the Hunter had ripped off of himself in disco-fever fashion. What, you didn't seriously think that the suit was just a one-off gag, did you? No... it was meant for something much more stupid than a plot hole.

"What the goodness!" She screamed in utter surprise as she was lifted off the ground and came smashing down on her back. My my my, that scream could be heard for miles.

A tense pause, the sound of someone accidentally rolling off a bed, and then a door slamming open. Out came an incredibly grumpy-looking Kei, wrapped in a bed sheet and apparently clad in nothing else; Had she fallen out of bed? Whatever's going on, this looks bad.

"I told you not to make a sound, and what do you do? You start screaming loud enough to wake up the entire city! I warned you both what would happen!" The frustrated oracle, with even more of an unkempt appearance now, took that moment to notice how filthy the two CPU Candidates were. From the mud and dirt, she easily pieced together a scenario in her head. "...Not only did you make an obscene amount of distracting sounds, but you also snuck outside in the middle of the night? I'm sure you know what punishment awaits you both..."

"W-W-W-W-We're sorry, Kei! We didn't mean it!" Uni frantically tried to explain, waving her hands in a panicked state.

"G-Goodness, have mercy on us! What are you going to make us do!?"

...

And so, the two innocent lovers, in reward for saving a young horsebird's life, were cursed with 20 hours of paperwork. Huh, guess no good deed really does go unpunished...

"This sucks! ...Hey, can she even make you do this work? She's not your oracle." Uni asked, reading through document-after-document with one hand on her cheek.

"I-I think it's best if we just do what she says without asking. It was kinda my fault, anyways... I don't want to anger her any further. She really looked like she was having a bad day..."

"*sigh*... I miss Horsey..."

And that, my faithful readers, is all!

...

...Well, this was rather light-hearted compared to the last chapter. That's much better... And hell, this was the longest vignette yet! Odd...

...I didn't get as sinister a vibe in this one, but still, something just didn't click right with me. It was almost as if Nepgear and Uni were more ditzy than usual... Well, they have had a lot of down time. Maybe spending a whole year not fighting or doing work or whatever just made them act... slightly out-of-character? Time away from the real world can do that to you, I guess...

...Why is that a common occurrence so far? Why does each chapter have characters acting... abnormal? I don't get it...

**MOOD WHIPLASH: END**

* * *

After the resounding defeat at the hands of Lowee's peacekeepers, the three brothers journeyed back home in low spirits and sat in silence for a while.

"...Well, we at least made money, right? We charged for admission, so this wasn't a total loss..." Almaz tried to reason, though he felt rather down.

"Piss off!" The irritable brother groaned. Now, it's no surprise that Alex would be angry; he's always angry. But Adrian... well, he seemed to be taking this all the worst of the three. His eyes seemed hollow, and his gaze unfocused. "...They're not even here, and we're still being treated like shit... We're ALWAYS gonna be treated like shit..."

Almaz cocked his head to the side. "Hm? What's that, Adrian?"

"Whatever they don't like, they just get rid of...The CPUs... They get to do whatever the hell they want, don't they?" He shook his head. "They get everything in this world, while we... while we're left to rot."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Uh, bro, ain't that obvious? They're goddesses, remember? Of course they'd get things handed to 'em on a silver platter."

The leader clenched his fists. "You're forgetting something, Alex... We're not even ranked up there with normal citizens; Us three are abominations, created by the Devil herself! We don't even get the privilege to be treated as shitty as the townsfolk! The CPUs consider us waste that needs disposing!"

Almaz directed his eyes towards the ground, feeling ashamed all of a sudden. Still, he tried to counter his brother's words. "...W-Well, we can't think of ourselves like that! What happened today wasn't because of what we are! We were kicked out because of general jurisdiction, or whatever. Besides, if they do feel that way about us, I'm sure that if we show the goddesses that we can change, then there'd be no problems!"

The angry brother eyed Adrian suspiciously. "...What the hell's crawled up your butt, anyways? Sure, our show got infiltrated, but so what? Boo hoo! There'll be other shows... And, since when did you care about how others perceive us?"

The leader snarled some more, and crossed his arms. "...It's just, since we got the 'Crucial Codes' from Mother, I felt... I don't know, empowered! Like, our crappy luck was finally taking a turn for the better. With these cheats, we could make a living for ourselves, and not be total wastes of humanity." His face darkened, and he clenched his teeth. "...But when that man stepped in from out-of-nowhere, enforcing the CPU's rule with an iron fist.. well, that illusion was broken... I realize now that no matter what we do, no matter how hard we try, we'll always be... different... Outcasts that no one could ever love..." Tears began to form in his eyes... Outcasts... They'll always be outcasts... Hmm... What about me?... W-Will I always be an... "...Us OCs, we'll never be accepted... Not as long as those goddess bitches are still in charge."

The leader clenched his fists tight, and continued his tirade. "And... it's not even just that. Even the normal people, those that aren't hideous lab residue... They don't have a shot in this world, either. Normal humans, the only thing separating themselves from the CPUs is the painful truth that they weren't blessed with HDD... They get treated like they don't matter. Those guards were threatening to murder them as much as us with those arrows. The bigotry extends to simply everybody who can't transform into some magic god-like being..."

The irritable brother leered at the leader. "Yo, bro! What the hell are you ramblin' about!? Where is this coming from!? Just calm down, ok! Take deep breaths..." Strong words, coming from Alex...

"...That village we were in for a few days... Those people had nothing but the clothes on their backs. If the CPUs are really as benevolent and all-powerful as everyone believes, then why can't they do anything about all the poor vagrants? Why must average citizens, the very souls responsible for giving them enough power to rule in the first place, suffer? The goddesses can do anything, can't they? So... Why don't they?" That poor little girl... Isara, he remembered is her name... She lives in such horrible conditions, having to scrounge up food for herself, her mother, and her father who more than likely abandoned them both. Did the CPUs just not care?

The room was tense for a long while, the atmosphere heavy and filled with frustration. Adrian, after all of his thinking, needed to vent his anger. However, since his perceived enemies were the almighty CPUs, unreachable by mere mortals, he had no means to fulfill his desires. He had no physical target he was able to take the anger out on...

Almaz and Alex shared nervous glances with each other, unsure of what to say next... They never needed to, though, for a knock came to their door. "...Who the hell could that be at this hour?" Alex stood up and opened the front door. On the other side awaited quite the peculiar face...

"Ah, greetings, my dear lads; Fabulous show this evening! Tis a shame, though, that the "Man" had to come and crash it." Said a boy with curled shoulder-length brown hair, and who was perhaps not much older than the three brothers themselves. He had a very aristocratic air about him, and seemed much more like a denizen of Leanbox than Lowee... Wait, haven't we seen him before?

"...Who the bloody hell are you? How'd you find where we live?"

The stranger held up his hands and smiled. "Do not be alarmed, my friend; I come in peace!" He held out his hand for Alex to shake. "I'm Jade. I've been traveling the world in search of something... more out of my life. I had only come here to Lowee to catch a glimpse of Lady Blanc, but alas, it appears the rumors that she has been in Lastation are true!" He shrugged with an irritatingly charming grin. "Either way, I happened upon your little show, and I bought myself a ticket. I must say that you impressed me, and I am not one easy nut to crack! I still can't figure out how you did the things you accomplished!" His eyes told a different story, however...

Alex rubbed the back of his head. "Heh heh... Well, y'know: A magician never spills his secrets."

Adrian stared at the newcomer, his eyes quite dark. After considering things for a moment, he finally stood up and greeted the stranger. "...You said your name was Jade, right? What exactly is it that you want? I'm pretty sure you didn't follow us just to go all fanboy, or whatever."

Jade bowed slightly. "My, you get to the point fast... You're the leader of the trio, I presume? Nice to meet you." The aristocratic boy held out his hand in an attempt at a friendly shake, but Adrian simply stared at him with one raised eyebrow. "...E-Er, anyways... I came here to get introductions out-of-the-way. I've been looking for... allies, and I believe that you three are just the men for the job."

"...Allies for what? What the hell could you need us for?"

The aristocrat smiled with his eyes closed. "...You three can help me find the change I've been seeking... But now's not the time to discuss any further; I must be off..." With that perplexing statement, Jade turned his back and prepared to leave. "...If you ever so happen to find yourself in Lastation, be sure to come seek me out at Avenir; I can tell you much more over there... Hell, it'd be good business for you, too! Lastation residents don't see nearly as much magic as the ones here in Lowee. Can attract a lot more followers over there... Well, goodnight!" With that, Jade vanished into the dark night.

"...The hell was that about?" Alex asked, rubbing his temples.

Adrian continued staring off into the night, reflecting on the aristocrat's words. "...We'll need to remember that guy; He could be of some use to us."

The irritable brother sighed. "If you say so... I don't see what a creep like him can do for us, though..." Oh, you think everyone's a creep!

And so, another uneventful hour passed, and the three brothers were just about ready to go to sleep, when... Guess what's about to happen; I dare ya!

...Another knock sounded on the door, startling the boys. "Damn it! Who the hell is this now!?" Alex moaned, and he angrily yanked open the door. "...A-Ah! Y-You...!"

On the other side of the door stood the eerie-looking pale man from the audience that Alex had used the cheat on. He was still smirking like the Devil.

Alex began sweating profusely; after all the commotion, he had entirely forgotten about this man. "U-Uh, er, uhmmm... Hi... Erm, whaddyou want?"

The man closed his eyes in satisfaction and nodded. "...I did it, good buddy ol' pal! I brought what you requested!"

Adrian, looking at the two cautiously, walked over again. "Alex... Who the hell is this?"

"Heh, uh, well... I, er, m-may have used the Friendship code on him earlier... I-It said it was stronger now, so I w-wanted to test it out!" Alex whispered.

The leader rolled his eyes and drew a deep breath. "...Ugh... Oh well, too late now... What's yer name, stranger?"

"Hehehehehe... The name's Le Ciel... and I'm your biggest fan!"

The irritable brother shuddered a little, realizing that this man was, in a way, his own creation. "A-Ah... I-I see... Er, you said that you b-brought what I requested... W-What did I r-request?"

"Kekekekekeke... Why, this, Alex friend!" Le Ciel reached into his trench coat-like clothes and pulled out... a purple hat imprinted with an upside-down letter 'T'... O-Oh dear...

"W-Wah! I-It's that guard's hat!" Almaz screamed in the background. Guess he finally came to the door, too... poor kid.

"Ahum! ...You wished to get rid of him, so... I got rid of him. Here..." He next pulled out the name tag that read 'Watwintails' and handed it to Alex. "Now you can hang it on your wall... Akekekekekeke!"

The three brothers' eyes widened, and they immediately began shivering. "W-What did you do to that man, dude? You didn't bloody... kill 'im, did you?"

Le Ciel grinned even wider. "Took a nicely crafted blade, and just JAMMED it in him... Hee hee, he never saw it coming!" He closed his eyes again to reflect on his victory. "It was the strangest thing, though: Once I inflicted that delicious mortal wound, the scumbag just POOFED! into thin air... All that remained was his cute little hat and name tag; Not even a delicious droplet of sweet, sweet blood..."

Almaz passed out, and Alex nearly threw up. "Y-Y-You freakin' killed the guy!? S-Shit!"

Adrian shook his head in disbelief. "... So, wait, he disappeared? What the hell does that mean...? Hm... Er, anyways! Y-You weren't... seen by any chance, were you?" Ah, good to see he's torn up about the MURDER!

The pale murderer smiled some more. "Oh, I made sure to teach all the guards a lesson. I said: 'Don't you dare mess with the AAA brothers, or they'll have you murdered, too!'... Keke, there's no way they'll mess with you now!" He nodded again, and began to saunter off. "See you later, my friends!"

Alex looked at Adrian in horror. "O-Oh God, the guards are gonna think that we put him up to it! Shit, shit, shit!"

"D-Don't look at me like that: You're the one who used the cheat I explicitly said not too! His blood is on your hands!" The leader shook his head. "Shit, it doesn't matter; All three of us are gonna burn because of this... We gotta figure out something fast..."

"Well, what do you propose? I'm all ears."

"...We hafta get out of Lowee... Jade said he could set us up in Lastation, remember?... Let's go there, and wait around awhile until he shows up again!"

"B-Bloody Lastation!? Are you mad? Do you know how difficult a walk that's gonna be?"

"Do you have any better ideas!?"

The two quarreling brothers seethed at each other for a bit longer, when finally Almaz woke up and spoke. "...Is there anything in that cheat code book we can use? There has to be something that can help us out...?"

Adrian and Alex exchanged looks, and immediately lunged toward the 'Crucial Codes.'

Hmm... What do you suppose they'll find?

...

...!? ...Hey, I just had a thought... Y-You know how Adrian's been talking about how the goddesses don't do a damn thing to help the people? Well... I-I would never say that I agree with him, but... I mean, this chapter had you read a 6,000 word vignette about what? Nothing! That horsebird vignette, practically longer than the entirety of the other chapters, dealt with the two CPU Candidates going through the kind of comedy routine you'd see in a cliché family film! From the way the script sounded, the two hadn't done much of anything important in the time since the last main story, either. Hell, the only time we saw them do anything that a goddess is expected to do... was during their punishment at the end! Doing paperwork, an important responsibility for the CPUs and their sisters alike, was the equivalent of your mother sending you up to your room...

...Is this really what it's all come down to? Does Adrian actually have a point? Are the CPUs really ignoring their duties in exchange for goofing off with their girlfriends? Are the people really being oppressed?

...?


	6. For No One?

_[A mysterious gust of wind blows in your ear. You faintly hear the following message: "Thank you for stopping by! I am truly, TRULY, honored... Heh heh heh... Thanks to all who have supported this story so far; None of this would be possible without your views, favorites, and reviews. None of this at all... Teehee... Now, before I go and cast you back to that pathetic narrator, just know that you will all be formally thanked once I take charge. We're almost there, folks; Will you walk what's left of this stretching path with me?"]_

_[In an instant, the quiet whisper fades from your ear, and you are left to ponder what the wind meant... Er, and you feel a major nagging sensation of déjà vu... and dread. Leaving no other alternative, your eyes scroll down past the following horizontal line break...]_

* * *

"Step out of the hut! We have you surrounded!"

Almaz slowly opened his eyes, and sluggishly stepped to the window to investigate the loud, blaring voice that had awoken him. Peeking out, he spotted a crowd of heavily armored individuals, including the familiar jerk in green spandex. The stars were shining brightly; Ah, so it's still night...

The groggy young man nodded and began to walk away from the window, when his clouded mind finally realized what was happening. "H-H-Holy crap! Adrian, Alex, wake UP! We fell asleep! Crap, we're SO screwed!"

Adrian and Alex lifted their heads slowly, and immediately sprang to their feet. "Shit, how the hell'd we let ourselves pass out?" The irritable brother snarled.

The leader wiped the sweat that had formed on his forehead, and lightly slapped his face with both hands. "Damn, whaddo we do? Gotta think, gotta think..." He turned his head to the cheat tome, and quickly snatched it up.

"You have until the count of three! One...!"

Adrian continued to flip through the pages. "Yo, Adrian! If we're gonna do somethin', we gotta freakin' do it now!" Alex insisted.

Almaz was reduced to tears again, and he sniffled uncontrollably.

"...Two! Don't make us come in there, scumbags!"

The leader of the young men flipped and flipped, several possible codes rising to his mind. He would have attempted to use the friendship code on the guards, but he couldn't hazard the chance that they were above Level 10. And besides, that code was the reason they were in this mess. Fortunately, he finally came to an available code that might have some uses: Low-level Level Select. "...Okay, I think I found something... Get close, guys!"

Alex and Almaz didn't ask any questions; They huddled against their brother almost instantly. Adrian nodded, took a deep breath, and began entering the code: Up, Down, Left, Right... Immediately, a ring chimed in the air; So far, so good...

"...Three! Ok, you little shits! Now we're angry!" At once, a massive thud resonated from the front door, and then another, and another.

"H-H-Hurry, Adrian! They're comin' in! Oh, I don't want to go to jail!" Almaz cried hysterically.

"Just one more thing..." To complete the code, the leader held the A button on the controller, and pressed Start. "Think of Lastation, guys! If we make it there, we hafta find that Jade guy! I don't think he'd be back there yet, but it's all we can do at the moment! He probably knew something like this would happen, and maybe he can help!"

The other two simply nodded, and closed their eyes in concentration. At the same time, the door gave way, and a swarm of Lowee guards came storming in. "Put yer rottin' hands up, you swines!" The lead guard this time was a plump man clad entirely in yellow with purple overalls; He must've been close to Watwintails.

Adrian smirked at the intruding peacekeepers, and waved. In a flash, the boys vanished into thin air.

"W-What the? How did they...?" But, no matter how hard they looked, the guards would be unable to find the AAA brothers on Lowee...

* * *

**THE UNPAIRED SPARE**

Friendship; Ah, what a wonderful blessing friends can be! Always there to pick you up when you're down; Always there to support you in your time of need; And, perhaps most important of all, always there to enrich your life so much more...

...They sure are a blessing, aren't they?... I... wouldn't know anything about that...

...I... don't have any friends, do I? Hell, I no longer even have allies...

...

...F-For Cave, however, friendship certainly did not leave her more fulfilled. Oh no, one could say that her very friends were causing her to go further and further... insane.

No, I don't mean the "Decapitate snowmen with a pencil while it rains in the summertime" insane! It's a more subdued type of insanity... It's a certain type of despair that just eats away at your soul, inch by inch...

And, perhaps worst of all, her friends had no idea that their very presence had such a negative effect on the SMD warrior. Why, to them, all was fine and dandy.

I am of course talking about IF and 5pb, Leanbox's own star couple. To briefly recap(again), Lady Chika had formulated a plan to get the two friends together, and Lady Green Heart retaliated with a plan of her own (even though she had/still has(?) feelings for the battle-hardened veteran). The whole situation was... well, excruciatingly confusing, with most readers ending up scratching their heads and going "...Er, huh? ...Yay, yuri...?" ... Yeah, like this whole story, actually.

Since Cave entrusted herself with keeping Leanbox's oracle out of trouble, she ended up taking a minor part in the harebrained scheme as well... which had been hell, to put in mildly.

If you've been around since the beginning of these queer tales, then you should have picked up that Cave, in no exaggeration of the word, loves Lyrica. So, having to actually aid in pushing the woman she fancies towards another left her in quite a dangerous emotional spot. On most days, the SMD warrior would remain calm and collected, just like the norm had been for years. Occasionally, however... she would feel the need to lash out, and vent each and every minor emotion that decided to raise it's ugly little head.

...She has yet to actually snap, though; That much is fortunate. However... as the days fly by, and as Gamindustri approaches the one-year anniversary of the "Calamity Trigger," her resolve becomes weaker... and weaker... and weaker...

And I fear that when she inevitably snaps, there will be hell to pay.

...But, what was this entire diatribe for, you may ask? ...I'm not sure. This script, written by some insane phantom author, told me to talk about it; that's all I know. I've given up on questioning these things...

...Oh! This next segment is about Cave on one of her normal days, I guess! Hmm... Yes! The setting of this scene is a day where she and 5pb had some free time together; Just the two of them...

Well, what can possibly go wrong? Let's check it out, shall we?

...

It had been a normal day in Leanbox's grand castle, until a rambunctious Chika violently pulled Cave by the arm to Lady Green Heart's dwellings.

"Yo, Cavey, I gots an important mission for you!" The oracle proudly proclaimed, crossing her arms triumphantly.

The SMD warrior silently stared at her friend, trying to read her intentions. "...Your improper language aside, what is your problem?"

"I need you to get me a crapload of Accolade Points!"

The two women stared at each other for a long moment, with Cave's face clearly unamused, and Chika completely expecting a positive response.

Finally, the warrior... er, caved. "Accolade Points? What the hell are those, and... why should I earn them for you? If you want a medal, you'll need to apply yourself. I won't fight all of your battles."

Chika puffed out a cheek. "Geez Cavey, how do you not know about Accolades? When you play a game and you do a certain specific task, you'll earn an Accolade, which contributes to your Accolade Score! C'mon, it's the new hit craze for video games these days; Only shmucks don't know about 'em. Are you a shmuck, Cavey?"

"It's spelled 'schmuck,' Chika." Hm, I seem to recall that both spellings could be correct, but I don't specialize in terms like that. "...And, pardon me asking, but what is this 'Accolade Score' used for? Does it earn you benefits in a game?"

The oracle kept staring at the SMD warrior blankly. "Er, no."

"...Then do these give you free access towards DLC or game add-ons?"

"Nada."

By now, Cave's eyes were drained with annoyed rage. "...Do they do anything? Anything at all?"

"...Not exactly..."

"Then why the hell should I care!? If you've forgotten, this is a nation you're running. Sure, Vert is the goddess, but you are the second-most important figure of Leanbox! You have far more important matters to attend to then Accolade-whoring!" Cave is quite a passionate one when it comes to berating Chika.

The oracle grinned and playfully slapped her friend on the back. "I need them to impress Vert, Cave! If I have a high-enough Playerscore, then Vert will think I'm an amazing gamer, and she'll be so proud of me! ...That's where you come in: You hafta help get a few Accolades in 'Shin Megami Musou!' A whole buncha points can be earned by raising all 92 characters' proficiency levels to the max, but it requires a lotta grinding... and I mean A LOT. So, if you could play in my absence, I can shave off a good chunk of time!"

Cave still couldn't really believe what she was hearing. "You want an elite Special Mission Department agent to not only play a game to make you look stronger in Lady Vert's eyes, but to play through the boring drudge of monotony that is level grinding on top of it... All for points that mean nothing?"

"Yep." Unflinching honesty.

The bullet-hell queen sighed. "And what if I refuse your ill-considered proposition? ...Hell, why can't YOU get the damn points? What absence do you allude to?"

The oracle clasped one hand sophisticatedly to her waist, and held up a finger of her other hand decisively in the air. "If you've forgotten, this is a nation we're running! Sure, my darling Vert is the goddess and all, but I can't slack off as her second-in-command! We have an important meeting to attend to today; Much more important than silly Accolade-whoring!"

While Cave remained as stoic-looking as possible, it was evident that she was _this_ close to exploding. Worst of all, Chika didn't even realize her painfully ironic statement; Quite the infuriating prospect.

Instead of utterly snapping, though, the SMD warrior managed to keep herself calm and collected; It would take a grand spectacle indeed to unhinge her experienced mind. She breathed out a sigh of resignation, realizing that no matter what she did, she'd end up helping Chika in this pointless distraction.

Despite what it may seem, Chika and Cave have a long history together. If one needed something, the other would offer a helping hand. It was a strange relationship, that much was certain, but there was a definite measure of chivalry between them that only they could understand.

So, giving in to her soft-spot for her friend, Cave accepted. "...Fine, I'll play your game, but only until you return. After that, I shall be your Accolade-monkey no more!"

The oracle of Leanbox squealed with delight, and rushed to set up the game. "Ooh, thank you so much, Cavey! I knew you'd come through for me!"

In the following scenes, Chika described the ideal stage in the game for proficiency grinding, and briefly outlined the quickest path through. Once that was accomplished, she bid the SMD warrior adieu, and left with Vert to some important meeting.

...

After what couldn't have been an hour, the grinding already was taking its toll on the woman's nerves. Each iteration of the hack n' slash stage took approximately 10 minutes, but felt like an eternity as time went by. Why, grinding this much could drive a warrior insane!

Fortunately, Cave gained an unexpected visitor...

"Hm? Lady Vert, are you in there? Didn't you leave an hour ago?" Came a beautiful voice from outside of the room. The SMD warrior immediately perked her head up.

"Lyrica? ...No, i-it's just me... I'm in here because of Chika's bullshitting."

The pop idol cautiously entered the room, her eyes immediately drawn to her dear friend. "Oh, hi Cave! Um, so, what's going on?"

The SMD warrior smiled at the majestic idol. "You know Chika: She needs me to carry out one of her maddening schemes. This time, I was tasked with repeating this same stage over and over with 92 different characters, all for points that mean absolutely nothing."

"Wow, that sounds rough... Want me to help? I'm probably not going to be of much use in the game, but I can at least keep you company." 5pb. smiled as innocently as ever. Cave was about to ask a question, but the blue-haired girl telegraphed it. "Oh! IF went to train for a bit, so right now, it's just you and me. I could use some company, myself..."

The bullet-hell queen, quite frankly, liked the sound of that. She and Lyrica, alone in Leanbox castle? Why, it was a dream come true!

"...O-Only if you want to. Please don't subject yourself to this humdrum merely at my expense!"

5pb. charmingly giggled to herself and picked up a second controller. Cave, for all intents and purposes, was at peace. She outlined the strategy, as Chika had before, and soon enough, the two girls were on their way to max proficiency.

"So, how many proficiency levels does each character have?"

"Fifty seems to be the concurrent number."

"And... how many characters are there again?"

"...Er, ninety-two."

"W-Wha!? N-Ninety-two characters! B-B-B-But...!"

"If I remember correctly, Chika hinted that not everybody needed to reach max, per se; Fifty-five characters should suffice."

"F-Fifty-fi... That's still over half! And, how many are complete already?"

"At max Proficiency? ...Two, and one is at level 25. The rest are scattered between level 2 and level 10, I assume from the Story Mode."

"...Is Chika insane!? ...Oh, wait, don't answer that..." It would be a long day.

Still, despite the monotonous grinding, the two friends quickly latched onto ways to have fun, in a more... unconventional way.

_"Discretion is the better part of valor!"_ blurted out a comically gruff voice from the television.

Cave and Lyrica were having a blast. "If they're ancient warriors who were isolated from the rest of the world, then how are they quoting Shakespeare?" The SMD warrior chuckled, letting her sense of professionalism sneak away. Hm, is SHE supposed to know who Shakespeare is?

"Oh man! Why do they only have three different voices?" The pop idol laughed hysterically, almost rolling on the floor. Oh dear, did this game actually break them?

_"I'll chew you up and spit you out!"_ Came a monstrous voice from the speaker.

Now, Lyrica did begin rolling on the ground. "L-Look at that thing! It's like a demonic elephant!"

The creature was slain, and simply roared out_ "Aaarghh..."_ This further struck the funny bone of the two dear friends.

The game continued, and the same stage repeated and repeated. _"You mean to suggest that he can control the very tides...? Very well..."_

"HA! What the hell kinda hair is that!? I-It's covering one whole side of his face!" Lyrica was running out of breath, and she held onto the SMD warrior to keep herself propped up. Cave simply smiled to herself and became lost in the moment...

...

A few hours flew by, and the two grew tired of the game. "...Whew, I'm exhausted... Let's take a break, Cave."

"...Yeah, a break will do us some good... Come on, let's head outside."

"Sure, fresh air sounds nice..."

In a flash, the two girls were lying side by side on a tranquil hill behind the castle, the blue sky smiling down upon them. The clouds seemed more full of life than usual, and the sun shone down its brilliant rays most magnificently. Why, Cave wasn't sure if this immense warmth inside of her was from that giant bright orb in the sky, or from Lyrica's company.

Either way, the SMD warrior felt more content than she had for months. All was right with the world...

...But nothing gold can stay.

"Yo! Lyree, I'm back!"

The pop idol quickly leapt up, and her eyes lit up completely. "IF!" The brunette sprinted up the hill and embraced her girlfriend, the two acting as if they had been separated for years. "Where did you go? That was awfully long for a training session."

The battle-hardened veteran smirked. "Well, as soon as I finished slaying monsters, I got a call from the Guild..." She proceeded to reach into her pocket. "You know that magic show you've been dying to see? Well-" She pulled out two yellow slips of paper. "-I secured us two tickets! The only catch, though, is that the show begins in three hours. We'll need to haul ass to Lastation... You in?"

5pb's eyes were as bright as stars, and her cheeks were a deep and majestic red. "I-IF... T-Thank you so much! I... O-Of course! Let's get going right now! Oh man, I can't wait~"

"Heh heh... I knew you'd like it." Seeing the pop idol in such a good mood made IF that much happier.

...The opposite could be said for Cave.

The couple began to head back inside the castle to get ready. "We'll see you later, Cave! Good luck with the rest of that game!" 5pb. called, waving cheerfully at the SMD warrior.

The battle-hardened veteran nodded happily as well. "Thanks for taking care of Fivey, Cave! See ya!"

Cave, awestruck, simply waved back, her face entirely emotionless.

...

The sky that had once been smiling was now snarling insufferably, and the darkening clouds, wearing devious grins, were now an everlasting reminder of what will never be...

...But Cave would show those damn clouds a thing or two. She'd give them a reason to freakin' smile!

Anger had begun boiling over in the woman's heart; in her very soul, even. If it wasn't contained fast, who knows what could happen?!

So, to vent her frustrations, Cave leapt off the cliff of the landmass... and began flying like some type of witch. She rose towards the cruel clouds, took a deep breath, and shot a vicious glare at the inanimate puffs of fluid. With a waving motion of her hands, a seemingly infinite stream of energy bullets rained down upon the clouds, ending with a climactic explosion.

After a few minutes of sending hellfire towards the sky, no visible cloud remained.

Cave was victorious.

Satisfied, the SMD warrior returned to land, brushed herself off, and journeyed back to Lady Green Heart's room to continue the long and lengthy grinding process...

...Alone...

**EPIC (WO)MAN...: END... *snrk!***

...Er, discounting that it's once again different from the first one, what's with this odd new ham-fisted vignette title? And... why did I hear a sinister laugh right afterwards?

...

* * *

"...Ah!"

Adrian's eyes snapped open, and he immediately sprang up from his lying position. Disoriented, he frantically shifted his head around, and found that his two brothers were also waking up.

"...Ugh... Blimey, what the hell happened?" Alex groaned as he rubbed his head.

"D-Did it work?" Almaz asked, confirming that his head was still attached to his shoulders.

The leader looked at the tome in his hands, and scanned the night skyline: Just from a quick glimpse, it was almost certainly Lastation. "...Yeah, I think we're here."

Upon further analysis, the three brothers had landed right in front of a large building... Wait, I know that building! It's Avenir's headquarters; You know, the one that "Narrator" had dropped Nisa in front of all the way back in Act One of the last story! Man, what are the odds?

"Avenir... Avenir... I-Is this really...?" Adrian mumbled, scrutinizing the building. Could this be where Jade would be staying as soon as he returned from Lowee? If so, what _were_ the odds? Only time would tell, I guess...

...Grr, for the sake of time and sanity, allow me to use this here handy fast-forward button...

For the next few days, the young men kept their heads low and used what money they did earn to buy some actual decent food. They managed to secure yet another abandoned cabin, and made it their base of operations for future magic gig planning.

Every day, Adrian made sure to pass by Avenir's headquarters, hoping for any sign at all of Jade. Now, while his efforts appeared to be fruitless, they had actually been more successful than he thought...

It was a quiet morning, with dark clouds covering the sun, casting an eerie gray glow over the city... Nope, not foreboding in the slightest.

A knock sounded on the cabin door. "...Hm? Yo, someone gonna get that? I'm busy 'ere..." Alex called, tapping his head with a pencil in thought. It appears he's trying to come up with a design for another pamphlet, it seems.

Adrian and Almaz looked at each other, and the leader sighed. "...Yeah, I got it..." He stood up and opened the door. "Yeah, what do ya wa- Jade!?"

"Heh heh, glad to see you haven't forgotten me." The handsome boy grinned, and elegantly ran a hand through his long, curled brown hair. "...I must say, you are quite the wise one, Adrian; You managed to scout my hideout with nary a clue. I spotted you passing by from the window these past few days... Color me impressed."

Adrian gave a sly smile. "...To be perfectly honest, we found you by pure coincidence... We just sorta... ran into the Avenir headquarters... It was odd, though; It felt... familiar, or something..."

Jade nodded, and raised one eyebrow. "...My, oh, my... You don't know, do you?"

"...Er, know what?" The leader looked at the aristocrat curiously.

"You don't know about your history with Avenir... Ah, that explains my suspicions; You are one of those premature ones, aren't you?"

Adrian gave a further look of confusion. "Premature...? What are you talking about?"

"...Come with me, you three; I have something important to show you..."

The aristocratic young man politely gestured towards the outside world, and the leader of the brothers slowly nodded. "Fine... I'm curious, I'll admit... Yo! Alex, Almaz, we're going."

Alex groaned. "Ugh... Why do we have to go?"

"What I am about to show you will be worth your while, Alex; Do not doubt that for a second!" Jade laughed. The two unsure brothers inside exchanged glances, and shrugged in resignation.

...

The four gentlemen proceeded to wander through the streets of Lastation, presumably heading towards the headquarters. However, Adrian noticed something was off.

"Hey, uh, Jade... This isn't the way to Avenir, is it?"

"Heh... Sorry, but we're taking a detour first; Have no fear, it is for a grand purpose..."

Soon enough, the boys wound up staring at a majestic house at the end of a ridiculously long walkway. Hm... Why, it seems rather familiar...

"Um... Nice house, I guess... Why are we here, though?" Almaz asked, darting his eyes around uncomfortably.

Jade held his hand out towards the massive building. "This house, gentlemen... is a very important place, especially at the moment."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Stop beatin' around the bush! Get to yer bloody point, man!"

"Hmph, quite the impatient one, I see... Figures... Anyways, I was just getting to that: Right at this very instance, that house holds a majority of the most important beings in all of Gamindustri."

Adrian lifted an eyebrow. "The most...? Wait a minute... Shit, this house is...!" And suddenly, the brown-haired young man remembered: This was Noire's house, the Basilicom on Lastation; the same place that he had originally been deposited not that long ago. "...That's right; Apart from Green Heart," Hearing that name caused the aristocrat's eye to twitch, "-all of the goddesses are staying there... Hell, the candidates and oracles too..."

"Correct..." Jade looked down to his feet and clenched one fist. "...Out here, Gamindustri is struggling, and what are those "all-powerful" beings doing? Just chilling, and having a roarin' good time... Tch, pathetic..."

The leader of the brothers noticed Jade's change in attitude. "Yo, you alright?" Carefully, he placed his hand comfortingly on the aristocrat's shoulder. "...Jade... I understand how you feel... but what can we do about it, huh? Cryin' about it... won't change a thing..."

Jade took a moment to straighten himself out, and smiled charmingly. Ugh. "...I deeply apologize for that... I simply wanted to show you what -THEY- are up to." He majestically turned his head, causing his hair to sway freely. "...But Adrian, for all your wisdom, you fail to realize one thing."

"Eh? And what's that?"

"...With your help, we can force those so-called goddesses to acknowledge the power of us humans. We can... save Gamindustri." Before the brothers could react accordingly to the boy's peculiar words, he spoke again. "...Now, without further adieu, let's get to the main attraction of the day."

And that, they did...

But... Hm... I'm really, REALLY not getting a good vibe from this Jade guy... Hell, I'm not getting a good vibe from this entire plot! Just what is this all leading up to?

* * *

**CLOSING TIME**

Back to the fateful Lowee bar... Mina once again found herself sitting on the wooden barstool, looking more depressed than ever before. Everything around her was crumbling; Her very sanity practically slipping away.

Would she ever be loved? Would she ever be wanted? Needed? What was her purpose in life? What was her destiny? What did fate have in store? Had all the polygonal gods forsaken her?

"Bartender... Some more of that champagne, stat!"

The familiar bartender shot the saddened oracle a curious glance, but said nothing. She simply shrugged, brought out the large bottle, and placed it before the defeated woman. With a silent smirk, she then went right on back to cleaning shot glasses with a hand towel.

Disregarding her glass, Mina instead clasped the bottle tight and began gulping it all down like a pro. H-Holy crap, she'll kill herself if she keeps at that!

But fortunately, the woman was not too skilled at consuming alcohol after all; In an instant, she began choking and had to cough harshly just to clear her throat.

"Napkin?" The bartender suggested, and the oracle quickly snatched it up and wiped her face.

"...I can't even get drunk correctly... I'm a failure at failing..." And so, extremely worn out from everything on her mind, Mina stood up from the barstool. "...Screw this... I'm going to bed..."

The oracle slowly shuffled her feet to the door, her mind trying to scrounge up something worth smiling about. _"Maybe... Maybe things'll pick up... Who knows? A-Anything can happen..."_

And as she walked outside into the cold, dark night, the clock on the wall rang 12 times, signifying that midnight had arrived.

**XXXXXXXX**

Huddling her arms close to her body to ward off the freezing air, the oracle eventually made it back to Lowee's Basilicom. The alcohol had made her head a little dizzy, but she hadn't actually drank as much as she had in recent nights, which was odd, considering the free bottle she was given.

Mina was just about to enter the grand building, when she heard a rustling of snow nearby. Curious, she quietly checked the side of the... house, and lightly opened her mouth in surprise; Blanc was running through the snow-covered lawn, darting her head around cautiously as if she didn't want to be seen.

"Blanc...? Where's that girl going?" Exposition time! As you may know/remember, Lowee had been infested with dragons during the events of the last main story. They didn't present any danger, but Mina thought that it'd be best to export the CPU and her twin sisters from Lowee... Really just to prevent Blanc from going ape-shit on the majestic flying creatures. Thus, Lowee's royalty had resided in Lastation for a good amount of time. A few weeks ago, however, the dragon swarm had subsided, and the girls were allowed to return.

Now, it's not important right now (nor will it ever be...?), but Blanc was understandably pissed at being blockaded from her homeland. So, in an attempt to ensure that she'd never have to flee another potential dragon swarm again, she ordered the Lowee guards to construct a grand wall surrounding the Basilicom... I don't know how it would prevent aerial invaders from getting in, but I guess she wasn't in the best thinking mood. The construction was set to begin real soon, and would most likely take a good nine months to complete.

...Getting back on track, Mina had noticed that, ever since returning to Lowee, Blanc had disappeared on quite a few occasions once night fell. The oracle thought it suspicious, but never actually tried to see where she was going. Tonight, however... Well, she had finally caught the CPU in the act!

"Now's my chance to see what she's been up to... I'll have to remain quiet..." And so, the scholarly woman stealthily tailed the irritable goddess...

...Upon reaching the city streets, Blanc reached into her pocket and pulled out a red cap, perhaps trying to hide her face. Just where was she heading?

Suddenly, a tall man wearing some odd racing attire and a helmet with a raptor emblazoned on it collided directly with the CPU, knocking her down. Huh, guess none of them were watching where they were going. Who isn't clumsy in this story?

The man immediately started apologizing. "I am indubitably sorry, fair missy; I hope you are not hurt!?"

Mina braced herself; Blanc had an extremely short fuse, and this would surely cause her to snap.

...However, the disguised goddess stood up, and lightly shook her head. "It's alright... I should have been more careful."

"...What the? That doesn't sound like Blanc at all, especially considering that man's a total stranger." The oracle mused to herself. She watched as the two bid each other farewell, and continued the pursuit once more...

...At long last, the destination appeared to be at hand: Some type of late night coffee-house, right at the bottom edge of Lowee's main city. The CPU quietly walked in, now out of visible range.

Mina raised one eyebrow, and approached one of the diner's windows. Taking a moment to look around the somewhat-small establishment, she caught sight of Blanc... walking over to an all too familiar woman. Straining, she could lightly make out what was being said...

"Ah, you're early tonight. I just got here, myself." Kei Jinguji, Lastation's oracle, smiled rather uncharacteristically. Standing up, she pulled out a seat for the goddess, like a true... gentle(wo)man.

Blanc smiled back, and gladly took a seat. "I was getting pissed at home, so I decided to sneak out earlier than usual. The brats fell asleep fortunately; I swear, if they kicked open my door one more time..."

Just then, a waitress wearing a mushroom-themed shroud on her head came to the table and placed a basket of tangerines on it. "Your appetizers, my ladies." She bowed, and then went back to the kitchen.

Blanc wore quite the pleased expression, and Kei simply shrugged in a sly manner. This is... odd to watch, actually. "Please, enjoy... I'm treating you tonight, after all. You can have whatever you'd like."

Mina was utterly shocked. Since when did Kei and Blanc... even communicate with each other? Right now, they were acting like good buds...

...Well, more than that, actually.

The boyish oracle watched the CPU gracefully chomp down on a tangerine, an innocent smile on her face. "...You look amazing tonight, Blanc... Well, to be more precise, you always look amazing." That sure struck a major nerve in Mina.

The usually irritable goddess elegantly wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Heh, you bet yer ass I do..." Ever so softly, Blanc then reached for Kei's hands under the table, and gently clasped them. "...Thank you for this... For everything... I-I never used to do shit like this, and... I never felt this happy... I like it."

Kei blushed, and held a tight grasp on her secret lover's soft hands. "...I love you, Blanc..."

"...And I love yer ass too, Kei." Without any thought, the two women unlocked their hands and leaned out of their chairs. Their faces slowly crept closer, until the inevitable kiss took form. Such a majestic and wonderful scene!

...Unless you were Mina. Her eyes widened, and instantaneously, everything became clear!

...H-Holy crap! T-The script is... going insane! S-Shit...! S-S-Something's happening to me...!

...In a flash, a swarm of horrid feelings flooded the lonely oracle's mind; Yes, worse feelings than before.

Kei and Blanc... friends? Kissing? In love? But... how!? Why... Why?

The stoic oracle, who wouldn't know human communication if it bit her on the ass, and the irritable CPU, who would rather kill things than have companions.

...Those two _failures_ at relationships had managed to find the incredibly elusive love that seemed but a mere myth to dear old Mina. The two most unlikely individuals had found what she could not...

...And here Lowee's oracle was: Cold and alone... Unloved by anyone in every regard of the word. In a few years, Ram and Rom would be mature enough to not need her anymore, and she would have even less to care about on a day-to-day basis. Simply useless... Mina had not a single purpose in this world...

Sure, she may have had a mere one actual friend with Histoire, but was that really a deep friendship, or just mutual respect between oracles? If something bad ever happened to Mina, would Histoire care?

"No!" the scholarly woman's head yelled out at her! If she were to die tomorrow, no one would shed a single tear for her useless ass. She would die the same way she lived: Truly, and utterly... alone.

So, she was getting older with each passing moment, had nothing in the world worth caring about, and was the last individual anybody would even think about. Hell, come Christmas time, she wouldn't even get a conclusion to her very brief subplot. Hah, not even this script would give her a second thought! How amusing...

What else could she do but go back to the bar and drink her sorrows away? Perhaps if she shut her mind off from the rest of the world, she could feel some fleeting moment of happiness, similar to the kind she thought she felt earlier with her "fake" friend Histoire. It was the only thing she could hold on to...

...It was the only thing that could keep her sane...

...! H-Holy crap, what just happened!? I-I swear that wasn't me! H-H-Honest!

W-Well... I guess whoever that was, they accurately portrayed Mina's twisted thought processes. Kinda sad, isn't it?

...Lowee's oracle, losing what little joy she had felt a mere few minutes ago, and fully realizing now how hopeless she was, walked off in utter defeat.

"...Another drink won't hurt... I should head back to the bar..."

**XXXXXXXX**

A sip. Slam!... Silence. A sip. Slam!... Silence.

And so were the sounds of Mina's night as she once again toiled away at Lowee's signature bar. Before her was an empty shot glass, too small to offer more than a few sips of an alcoholic beverage.

I would like to say that this particular evening was an especially dreadful one for her, but that sadly wouldn't be accurate: Nearly every night for the past few weeks had been a living hell for Lowee's oracle. This night, by comparison, was just another dull moment in the life... of an unwanted oracle.

Now, perhaps you do not know what harsh things can happen to a mind that's enveloped with despair; Hell, I hope you have nary an inkling of such a subject!

It goes without saying that a despairing mind works in horrid ways. For some, time seems to flow differently than normal. Sometimes, the hours go by in seconds, and other times, the seconds go by in hours. And yet... there are days when time just doesn't flow correctly. A linear day becomes twisted and schizophrenic, and frankly, you just don't care to piece it all together. You just go with the flow, completely given in to the ways of fate.

...Why this diatribe, you ask? Well, because our dear Mina is going through one such depression spell, and no end is in sight. She had come to the conclusion that her life had hit a dead-end, so to speak. Perhaps a mere mid-life crisis? Or... perhaps something more? As we saw with Cave, realizing just how few friends you actually have when you need some the most takes a major toll on the body and the mind. Mina must be going through a similar quandary...

The oracle sighed, and turned her head towards the television in the corner; A news report slowly droned on. "In international headlines, reports say that a private cruise vessel that had departed from Hero City a few days ago has disappeared. Sources indicate that illustrious author A. Christin may have been the sole passenger on that vessel, but details are sketchy. As of now, Christin is considered missing... In other news, the search for the perpetrators in the apparent murder of notorious Lowee guard 'Watwintails' a few weeks back has been cancelled, due to lack of evidence and caring..." Hm... why did we take the time to show all that?

...Er, either way... No matter what, though, the oracle still had one clear friend, whether she fully realized it or not... No matter how dark things became, there would always be one person who had her back...

...And she was about to bust into the bar right this instant.

"Mina, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! Are you well?" The surprise visitor was none other than Histoire, the oracle of Planeptune. She hovered over to the saddened girl at the bar and gently clasped her small hand on her shoulder.

The scholarly woman raised an eyebrow at the tome fairy. "Histoire?... How'd you find me?"

The small girl smiled. "I heard from the children that you've been depressed recently... So, I went to every cliché spot around town in search."

"But... why would you do that? Why would you head all the way to Lowee just because you heard I was... sad?"

The tome nodded her head cheerfully, her eyes bright and innocent. "Because you're my friend, Mina; Of course I'd want to help cheer you up!" She rested her small chin on her small hands. "So... I'm not going to ask you to explain; I already know that you won't tell me what's wrong. What I will do, though..." At once, the tome fairy snapped her fingers, garnering the attention of the female bartender. "Um, excuse me, but I'd like to buy my friend a drink... Hmmm, I really don't know anything about this stuff... Er, is there anything you'd recommend? ...Give us the most expensive drink you serve!"

Lowee's oracle's eyes widened in surprise; Histy buying her a drink? What gives?

The bartender, a brown-haired young wom- Ugh, no! Not again! Why the hell is she here!? Let me guess: She's not actually a worker here, just like her appearance at the hotel?

...*sigh*... If I wasn't so flippin' tired, I'd revolt against this or somethin'... This lethargy is killing me... Let's just move on...

...The bartender, a brown-haired young woman, grinned at the oracles. "Woo, you're one nice friend, little lady! Hmmhmm... cute as a button, too... Let's see here..." Our mystery woman briefly searched through the abundance of alcoholic beverages, and quickly pulled out a bottle of fine champagne. "Here ya go, ya two... So, you girlies have a... _special_ evening planned?" Quite a sly grin she's wearing.

The tome fairy and the scholarly woman exchanged quick glances and blushed. "N-No! N-N-Nothing like that..." Histoire then wondered just how... THAT would work, what with the immense size difference between them... But she quickly discarded the embarrassing thought. "No, we're just two friends celebrating our... well, friendship."

Mina raised another eyebrow. "...Histoire...? I-I can't accept this... I can buy my own drinks. You don't need to do this for me."

The fairy shook her head. "No, Mina, I must. I read that it is customary for friends to buy each other drinks when they are depressed, and you are clearly depressed." She attempted to lift the large bottle, but she struggled to even move it at all. "...T-Tonight, you and I are celebrating, and that's final! It's the least I can do for my best friend."

Despite herself, a smile formed on the scholar's face. "...T-Thank you, Histoire... Y-You're my best friend, too..." For the first time in weeks, the despairing woman felt... happy! For the moment at hand, she was able to discard the feelings of sadness and loneliness, and just rejoice in the company of her dear friend. "...W-Well, what are we waiting for? Let's party!"

And that's what the two companions did. All the while, the girl of many names smiled as she watched from the corner of her eye...

...Eventually, the two women realized that it was time to head out. "Oh dear, look at the time! I should head back to my hotel before they lock the doors..." Histy, er, 'stood up' and hugged Mina to the best of her ability. "Did you have fun?"

"Of course, Histoire... Thank you. I haven't felt this way in a long while. You really brought my mood up."

"Anytime, Mina..." The tome separated from her, and hovered towards the exit. "I'll talk to you in the morning! My ship won't leave until tomorrow afternoon, so I'll be around for a bit." A hearty wave, and out she went. "Good night!"

"Good night, Histoire!" Mina called back, all chirp and full of vigor. Despite her dark thoughts earlier today, she now felt like she could take on the world! Bidding the bartender farewell, Lowee's oracle stood from the barstool and began walking off. "...I should head home as well. Hopefully the children are fast asleep."

And as she walked outside into the cold, dark night, the clock on the wall rang 11 o'clock PM.

**Every New Beginning...: END... *Pfft! snrk!***

Stop that! Who's chuckling!?

...

And, er... Was something wrong with that last vignette? Like... it sounded normal when I read it, but it feels like I delivered it wrong to you...?

...Ah, screw it...

* * *

And here we are: Avenir's headquarters. Geez, how I wished we'd never have to see this place again...

I can remember it now: Nisa sneaking in, journeying through these corporate hallways, and finally reaching the urinal in the female restroom (Er... You had to be there to understand).

The urinal is no mere urinal, however: It is actually the entrance to a secret lab, which was responsible for a whole lotta crap in the last main story...

...Nearly drove me insane, for what it's worth...

Anyways, Jade led the three brothers down into the lab, and pointed at the empty tubes... Damn, those are still down here?

"Look, dear magicians: This... is your home." Jade proclaimed, raising his hands to the heavens.

Adrian looked back at his two confused brothers, and gave a clear look of uncertainty. "Our... home? ...So, we were created in these tubes? In Avenir's main headquarters?"

"Yes, indeed! This is what I wish to discuss with you all today..." He walked over to one particular tube and tapped it a bit. "This, Adrian, is where you were created... That tube just over there is yours, Alex... And, well, that one is where you originated from, Almaz."

The 'A' brothers looked at the test tubes in awe. Sure, they knew that they were artificial humans, but actually touching the very vessel that birthed them was something of a sickening sensation.

The aristocratic gentleman continued. "Now, I'm sure you're wondering how I know so much about you three, and... well, how much I actually do know. Hell, you still don't know who I really am." He smiled, and ran a hand through his elegant hair. "Well, a... few years back, I was approached by a man named Singe, who was looking for a way to match the power of the CPUs themselves. I was in... dire need of help, so he took me in and helped me get back on my feet. Before I knew it, I was employed as an assistant for Avenir, tasked to aid the old coot in his crazed experiments. I had originally planned on studying the goddesses to see what makes them tick, but the CPU's hadn't been seen ever since the day they flew to the Gamindustri Graveyard. Lo and behold, the bitches were gone for three whole years, so that shot a hole in my plans. During their absence, I instead aided Singe in his search for the ultimate Artificial Intelligence... The guy hates humans just as much as he hates the goddesses, apparently..."

Adrian raised an eyebrow, and softly shook his head. "...Jade, I don't mean to be rude, but why the hell are you telling us this? What does any of this have to do with us?"

"Yeah, buddy. Get on with it, an' stop wastin' our bloody time!" Alex yelled, his eye twitching as he gazed into his birth pod.

"Patience, patience... Well, eventually, the CPUs returned, Arfoire surfaced, they kicked her ass, yada yada yada... We barely made any progress towards that ultimate robot... thing, so I was eager to get on with my job... and that was when a peculiar face arrived at Avenir's door..."

"A... peculiar face? Ooh, who was it? Tell us, tell us!" Almaz requested excitedly.

"...The Deity of Sin herself; Yes, the defeated Arfoire." Jade studied his fingernails for a second, then continued his exposition. "To be more precise, it was an apparition of her. She appeared before Singe and I and requested that we make this quaint little laboratory for her... Since you're here now, it's a given that we fulfilled her wishes."

The leader of the brothers couldn't believe his ears. "So wait, the Devil appears before you two, and you just willingly give her what she wants? It's common knowledge that her only intention is to destroy the world."

"Normally, we would have considered it a... bad business decision... but she made a pretty compelling case..." Jade looked down at his feet again, and he bit his bottom lip. "For Singe, the prospect of cloning superior beings was all it took to buy him out. For me... She'd help bring my sister back to life." The brothers' eyes widened. "...It was foolish to believe her, but I was willing to risk it..."

"Your... sister? Forgive me for prying, but what happened to her?" Adrian could think of nothing else to say.

"Heh... my sis... My older sis..." His eyes narrowed, and his fists tightened. "...Those CPUs murdered her, that's what. That insufferable Green Heart enlisted the aid of Black Heart and raided one of ASIC's factories; The one sis and I were held captive in... Her soldiers took down the actual ASIC guys, but they didn't stop there... I managed to escape, but she..." He shook his head, and tears dripped down his cheeks. Heavy.

Adrian once again pat the boy on the shoulder. "Damn... Hey, it's alright... Pull yourself together..." Once again, he was at a loss for anything decent to say. Big surprise.

Jade shook his head again. "I'm alright... If my hunch is correct, then I can still save her... and make those bitches pay..." He pointed towards the brothers suddenly. "Getting back on the subject of you guys: Adrian... Alex... You two were premature, if I remember correctly. As for you, Almaz... You were born correctly: Right as the alternate reality was activated. Before you ask, I am not entirely sure whether any of that matters or not. From what I've heard, though, the premature clones would be more emotionally unstable than the others... But with instability comes greater power..."

"P-Premature... Yeah... I was awake before that whole stupid school thing... Heh, and Alex and I have way shorter fuses than Almaz here..." Adrian said, and he became lost in thought.

The aristocrat smiled again, no sign of his tears remaining. "Now, here comes the important part... See that tube back there? Look at it a bit more closely..."

Ah yes... I remember that infamous tube: It's the one that has Linda's name on it, while the other one is etched out. Arfoire tried to convince everyone that Nepgeo originated from that tube, but the story didn't sell.

"...Well, what is it? I don't know a Linda... She hot?" Alex asked with half-lidded eyes.

"This... is the origin tube." Oh man, not only is this segment excruciatingly chatty, but it's confusing and cryptic as all hell too!

Clear question marks formed from the brothers' heads, and Jade could only smirk. Tch, jackass... "You are all clones; You know that. But... what exactly are you clones OF? Have you ever thought about that little detail?"

Adrian shrugged. "I thought the word clone was just a vague term for us... Do we necessarily need to be based off of someone else?" He asked, willing to accept anything at the moment.

The aristocrat pat the tube a few times. "You three, and all the rest of the OCs who are probably dead now, are based off of one very important entity..." He paused dramatically, and leaned his head in towards the group. He whispered for all to hear:

"...Pale Heart."

* * *

...

...Um, isn't this scene over yet? That seemed like an appropriately crappy way to end the chapter on a cliffhanger... Why is it still going?

"Pale Heart? Ya can't just go spoutin' off random crap like that, you galah! Who the hell is that?" Galah? ...Er, Alex wasn't taking this crap any longer... Though, longer it shall be...

Jade's eyes widened in slight surprise. "Wait... You mean, y'all haven't heard about Pale Heart? She's single-handedly the strongest being ever to grace not only Gamindustri, but humanity itself!"

Adrian thought for a moment, but stayed silent. Pale Heart... Pale Heart...

The aristocrat had awakened now. Yay... more exposition... I deeply apologize, everybody. "Lady Pale Heart... Oh, how the tales have been passed on throughout the years! She wasn't a mere goddess like those pathetic CPUs; No, she represented the most important group of people there is: Us normal humans, the gamers. With her console, "The Ghost," she planned to unite Gamindustri once and for all. You see, this world-altering machine would be able to play games from every single console out there; Yes, her competitors' exclusive titles included! There would be no more console wars, and, with only one console worth buying, piracy would start to become a thing of the past."

The brothers looked at each other, and Alex gave a questioning look. "Sounds like a lot of hokum to me... What ever happened to this miracle-console, then? I certainly have never heard of it."

Jade intertwined his fingers. "...Well, perhaps it is all hokum... I mean, for all the stories that have been told of her wondrous exploits, Lady Pale Heart has never been seen by the naked eye. So, in that sense, it is easy to consider her a mere myth..." He then raised an inquisitive finger. "...But, even though I, too, have never laid my eyes upon her beautiful figure, I know that she is real... Arfoire made that perfectly clear..."

Adrian had a sudden realization as he connected the name with the controller in the tome, but didn't voice it just yet. Instead, he asked: "...What did Arfoire show you? How do you know we are clones of Pale Heart?"

"...I had to believe her; It made too much sense! Only Pale Heart could supply enough power for so much clones, and allow them to alter reality as we know it! Somehow, someway, your "Mother" managed to find an absolute legend, and used her to give birth to you!" Jade was positively glowing now; Pale Heart must spark a fire in his soul. What is she, his idol?

Seeing the unbelieving faces of the three OCs, he smiled (again). "Ah... but there is something that gives my ramblings a much greater credence of proof... I know you realize it too, Adrian; Take out the book."

The leader recoiled in slight surprise. "T-The book...? How do you know about that?"

"Those weren't ordinary magic tricks you were using; Those were cheats only a user of the tome could master." He grinned at Alex. "Also, one of you was always hidden from view, I assume to operate the codes? Come on, let me have a closer look at it, please?"

"...Fine... You got us..."

And so, Adrian took out the "Crucial Codes" and showed it to the aristocratic gentleman. All the while, Jade couldn't stop jittering in excitement. "Oh my... To actually hold such power in my hands... It's remarkable!"

"Um... So, what do you know about this book, Mr. Jade?" Almaz asked innocently, also just going along for the ride at this point. Aren't we all?

"Why, there are so many tales about just this glorious tome: The power to bend time and space with the mere input of a code! I could go on for hours about just that alone, but I'm sure you are well-acquainted with that fact by now... Hmhmm, but do you know about the hauntings?" The sophisticated gentleman asked with a sly smile. Well, that came out of nowhere.

"Hauntings? What type of doovalacky is that?" Er, does Alex talk like that on purpose, or is it just how he is? "You tryin' to say that ghosts actually exist? I don't buy that crap..."

"Um, but Alex... Ghosts do exist! They can even be random encounters, and stuff. Hell, Mother's been killed several times, and that's never stopped her from popping up again!" Almaz reminded the irritable brother. He's right; Gamindustri is obviously haunted by a great many spirits... And who knows: Maybe there's a ghost lingering behind you right now... Watching everything you do...

...Er, sorry... I never got to narrate an actual Halloween story... Carry on...

Jade grinned, and drifted his eyes around the group. "...According to the tales, anyone who is killed in a certain time-frame after coming into contact with the cheats in this book... well, comes back from time to time..."

"Comes... back?" Adrian leaned his head in closer, quite interested.

"Heh, that's what I said: There have been reports of dead guys just up and appearing from beyond the grave..." The aristocrat chuckled, and tapped his head. "...But I don't think that's necessarily the case: Perhaps those that appeared were never dead in the first place."

"Oy, you keep on saying things outta the blue, but never get to yer damn point!" Alex moaned, and pressed his hands to his face. "Enough with wasting our time!" Ah, an avatar for you readers!

"Alex, don't be rude!" Almaz warned, and lightly punched his brother's shoulder.

Jade continued smiling that disgustingly charming smile. "...From what I've gathered through countless tales, anybody who comes into contact with any form of residue from one of the cheats in that book becomes... invincible, so to speak. I do not know how long it lasts, but it's certainly more than a week. During that time-frame, if a mortal wound is inflicted on the individual, they will not die, per se; No, their very soul will be transported into the tome itself! All that remains of them in the physical world may be a few scattered articles of clothing, or whatnot."

This comment caught the irritable brother's attention. "Wait... So yer sayin' that the dying guy will just vanish into thin air? He'll technically be alive, but he'll disappear?"

"That's what I assume. Who can say for sure, though?"

Alex looked at his brothers frantically, and waved his arms in a corny manner (seriously, that's what the script actually says). "That guard... When that creep stabbed him, he said that the dirtbag disappeared. The only thing left was his name tag... Yeah, the friendship code musta made that Ciel guy go insane, and that insanity made him commit murder! That classifies as residue from the tome, right?"

Jade's eyes widened a little. "...Wait, you accidentally killed a guard? ...The tome can bend someone's mind that easily, huh? Amazing..."

"No! By this logic... that Watwintails guy is still alive; Nobody killed nobody. It's just-" Adrian stared in further awe at the 'Crucial Codes,' "...he's trapped in here. How do we get him out...?"

The aristocrat merely shrugged. "No clue... But, it's not like he was the most desirable guy to you three, right? I mean, if he's stuck in there... he can't get in your way anymore..."

"Jade? What are you trying to...?"

"I'm saying... this tome is the greatest miracle you three could have been blessed with! Let's not concern ourselves with unimportant details like releasing that crappy supporter of the CPUs, and instead focus on the bigger problem at hand-" The three brothers stared at Jade, waiting to see what the next blasphemous words from the aristocrat's mouth would be: "...Teaching those goddesses a lesson."

* * *

*Yawn*... Whew, it's finally over... Well, that was drawn-out, wasn't it?

...Geez, my eyes are so watery... C-Can my eyes water? Er, let's just assume it's a figure of speech...

...I wonder what'll happen next time? Guess I'll... see you all... later...

...

...No! Must... stay awake... I don't need to rest! I... have a bad feeling about what'll happen if I do...

...Anyways, it feels like we're finally making it somewhere... I can't explain it, but I feel like something important is finally coming up! Perhaps this useless fluff is nearing its conclusion?

Guess we'll find out soon enough...


	7. Love Flower Rebellion!

_"Justice... KICK!"_

_In the daylight hour, Gamindustri's heroine of justice practiced her signature moves on a random tree stump in the forest. After about an hour of the tiring workout session, she plopped down and sat on the grass._

_"Whew, that was some training! Why, I feel even stronger than before! Ooh, evildoers beware: Nisa will give no quarter in her pursuit of righteousness!" Yep, a hammy speech always manages to invigorate me in the morning..._

_The heroine sat alone in silence for a while, reflecting on the past couple of weeks. "Hm... It's been quite some time since Underling tried selling those Arfoire chips... I wonder what she's up to..." Thinking of the villain and her partner-in-crime, Pirachu, Nisa raised her fist in front of her face. "Planning something villainous, I'm sure! Well, I'll just keep at my pursuit, then. Once I find a sufficient lead, I will swiftly call upon little Gusty, and we shall save the day once more!" Huh... Why is she saying all that out loud?_

_Suddenly, a rustle sounded from a nearby bush. Nisa turned her head at once, and glimpsed a young woman quietly approaching her. The stranger held her palm to her mouth. "Ohmigosh! You're... You're Nisa, the Heroine of Justice, aren't you? Oh man, I'm your biggest fan!"_

_Surprise filled the heroine's expressions, and she immediately sprang to her feet to properly address the newcomer. "A-Ah! Why, h-hello, fair citizen! I, er, didn't notice you there..."_

_"Oh, I'm so excited! I never imagined I'd get to meet my idol in person! My eyes have been blessed!" The stranger squealed. Hey... Oh, I won't get fooled again! This broad is that mysterious brown-haired girl who keeps changing her name! What, has she shown herself to everybody?_

_Nisa blushed, and awkwardly rubbed her hair. "W-Why, thank you, but I'm really nothing special." She heroically raised her fist in the air. "I am merely a soul who desires justice! If I can in any way assist in restoring righteousness to the world, then I am content!"_

_"Tee hee... You're so modest... Mm, and yet so strong... I love that about you..." The brown-haired young woman cooed, and she slowly wrapped her arms around the dazed upholder of the law._

_"W-Woah! W-W-W-What are you doing...!?"_

_The stranger brought her lips up to the heroine's tender ear, and lightly whispered "...You're gonna do well, I just know it. Keep your head down; I need you to stick around for later..." She lightly kissed the confused girl's earlobe, and continued. "...SHE has no clue what I am capable of... Heh, she thinks she's in complete control; Isn't that hilarious?" Um...  
_

_"W-W-W-W-What's going on...? Please, stop..." Nisa could only speak in short breaths, completely out of her comfort zone._

_"...Good luck, Heroine of Justice." The stranger suddenly said, and then stopped her seductive hug._

_The blue-haired girl's head was a complete mess right about now. "G-G-Good luck? W-What for...?"_

_No response, just a swift chop to the neck... W-Woah! That strange girl just karate-chopped Nisa! Shit, I think she's out cold!_

_The brown-haired young woman picked up the now-unconscious heroine, and muttered something under her breath. Instantly, the two now stood in an all-too-familiar white abyss... H-Huh?_

_"Yo, Arfoire! I've done you a favor: The heroine chick is here!" S-She's working for the Deity of Sin!?_

_A hammy chuckle sounded from nowhere. "Hm... Indeed you did... But I do not remember requesting help from... whomever you are..." W-Wait... Arfoire doesn't sound too pleased, if I do say so myself. Does... Does she not actually know who this strange woman is, either? I-I kinda don't like that we have that in common..._

_Either way, if Arfoire was uncomfortable at all, she didn't speak of it. "...Just rest her down over there; I'm a bit ahead of schedule, it seems." A short pause, then that horrible voice continued. "...Guess I should use this extra time to practice getting into character. I'll need to not only act completely ambiguous, but also emulate Brave's pathetic temperament concurrently... I wonder if I can pull both of those off?... Oh well, this heroine brat is too much of an idiot to be able to piece things together... And I doubt the audience will be much trouble..."_

_Another flash, and a new figure now stood in the abyss: A being entirely shrouded in a cloak... Narrator._

_...Yep, no doubt about it: That's the creep that made Nisa inadvertently create that messed-up high school universe... In the end, Narrator was revealed to be a puppet controlled by CFW Brave, who in turn was being utterly possessed by the Deity of Sin herself!... Man, those were confusing times..._

_But... Why are we seeing this? If this scene, and all those other ones featuring this mysterious girl, all take place before the last story, then why are we finally seeing them now? What's the importance...?_

_...Just who is she?_

_"Heh, well, my job's nearly done. I'll see ya later, Arfy..." The brown-haired young woman called in somewhat of a mocking manner, and vanished from the nonexistent room. The Deity of Sin paid the girl no heed, almost as if she forgot she was even there in the first place..._

_..._

* * *

A hefty amount of time has passed since we last saw the brothers (again, that's all this script says; just assume a month or two has passed, I guess). One particular afternoon, Adrian decided to sneak out of the cabin to make a secret trip...

"Hm? Where ya goin', bro?" Almaz asked while fluffing a pillow.

The leader of the brothers had nonchalantly opened the door to the dwellings. "Oh, ya know... I'm gonna pick up some groceries, maybe test out a few useless cheats... Be back in an hour."

"Pick me up a soda while yer out! Orange, preferably!" Alex hollered, resting on a cliché rocking chair.

Adrian nodded. "...Will do..." Without another sound, he left the hut, and began flipping through "The Crucial Codes" once the coast was clear. "...I wonder how she's doing?"

He entered the Level Select code that he forced himself to remember, and focused on his destination. In a flash, he was back in the outskirts of Lowee, in that run-down village from the earlier chapters. Hm, what's he up to?

Adrian pat his pocket, making sure the credits were still in there. He had pilfered a bit from the savings he and his brothers had accrued; The leader didn't take too much, but it was enough for what he hoped to do.

However, even at first glance, the brown-haired young man could tell that something was wrong. The village, while undesirable before, was now a complete ghost town. The bread vendor was nowhere in sight, his stand abandoned and weathered by age. The well in the center of the village was dry; Seems the people ran out of a source of water AND food. Cabin doors were left wide open; The people weren't planning on coming back.

"What in the world...? Is this... our fault?" That bread vendor had handed the brothers an awful lot of food, all for free. He was really the only source of decent food out here... Did the 'A' brothers put him out of business, endangering the lives of the villagers? Or did they simply inevitably run out of resources due to the neglect of the CPUs?

A feeling of dread surfaced within Adrian, and he quickly ran to his target: Isara's house. She and her mother had to be here...

...Well, turns out one of them was...

He made his way to the cabin adorned with the bright yellow flag, and knocked on the door several times. No response...

"Hello! Is anyone in there? Anybody!?" The boy shook his head, and absentmindedly tried the doorknob; It opened without delay. "...Do they not have a lock?... No, this door is lockable. So, why wasn't...?"

The dread was overwhelming now. Adrian haphazardly ran into the house, not caring if he was intruding or not. Inside was just like everything else in the village: Empty. Either Isara's mother had packed everything up and left, or they fled swiftly and the house was picked off by scavengers.

"...S-Shit! Crap, where'd they go!?" The boy blurted out, his nerves getting the better of him. After all this time, he finally had the means to help that poor little girl... But now, she was nowhere in sight? What gives?

About to give up, he took one last look around the small cabin. It was in the presumed kitchen where he caught a glimpse of a small structure through a window. It was a small stone slab pressed into the dirt in the backyard. What could it be?

His hands shaking, Adrian stepped back outside and approached the slab. Hastily etched into the stone, clearly by a saddened and shaking hand, was a single name: "Isara." The dirt surrounding the small stone monument had clearly been arranged recently...

Adrian stared at the makeshift tombstone; stared at the name...

Adrian stared...

Adrian stared...

Adrian stared...

...

Without a word, the brown-haired young man pulled the yellow flag off the door, folded it neatly, and gently laid it at the base of the slab.

His fist clenched, he pulled the tome back out, and teleported back to Lastation, resolving never to speak of this again...

...

* * *

**THE HEROINE AND THE VILLAIN**

"So, uh... Where do you want to go... heh heh?" Nisa asked, trying beyond all hope to dispel the awkward atmosphere.

Linda looked at the heroine and shrugged. "...I dunno... Wanna grab a bite to eat, or... somethin'?"

"Ah, er, sounds good to me!" Man, these two are acting shy with each other all of a sudden. I wonder what's going on?

...Ooh, I know that sensation: Flashback time!

_"Go on without me, Lindy... It's too late for me... Find another... Do it... for me..."_

_"...Geo... Shut up. Ya just caught the flu... Hell, based on what you've told me about yer past 'exploits', I'm surprised you haven't caught anything worse..."_

_So the purple-haired imposter is sick, huh?... Er, wasn't this the same backdrop of IF's cheap vignette? Why is catching the flu or whatever such a prominent theme here?_

_"...Oh, you're no fun, Lindy! This is supposed to be our big emotional scene! You know, where you vow to never love another as purely as me?"_

_Underling ran a hand over her forehead. "Now why the hell would I do that? You're not gonna die; You just need to rest a little... And,WE'RE gonna take care of you..."_

_The ASIC member motioned towards the two girls standing in the doorway. They nodded, and walked over. "Yes indeed! Underling, myself, and little Gusty shall take care of you, fair Nepgeo!" Hammed Gamindustri's heroine of justice.  
_

_The alchemist nodded. "Yes! Gust can make all kinds of remedies... for right price."_

_The sick purple-haired imposter smiled cheerfully. "Aw, you three are the greatest girls in the world! Tee hee, I love you all!"_

_Nisa blushed, and Gust looked away. Linda rolled her eyes, but smiled down at her girlfriend._

_...Um... Wait, what's going on? What the hell's this flashback for? I mean... did it explain anything yet? Nepgeo's sick, and her three traveling buddies (which I'm still unclear as to why they're hanging out so much, by the way) have just agreed to take care of her. Where does that opening scene come into play...?_

_...Ah, here's the ever-confusing flashback scene cut; This script shows us a flashback, then jumps ahead an odd amount of time within the flashback... making me question the point. Why couldn't it have just shown us the important part from the very beginning? Why all this fluff?_

_*sigh*... Anyways, a single day passed, and Nepgeo was still sick; She had the flu, so I'd be surprised if she recovered within four days. Now, the three girls continued to take care of her, but an idea that had been brewing in the imposter's head changed all that._

_"Hey, uh, Nisa..."_

_"Hm? Yes, Nepgeo? What ever do you need?"_

_The purple-haired imposter looked into the heroine's eyes, and pressed her hand upon her cheek. "You've done so much for me already... Why don't you all step outside and go have some fun? I'll be ok for a little while."_

_Nisa shook her head. "No can do, Miss Geo! A heroine of justice can never abandon a friend in need! It's in our very creed!" Heh, that rhymed... Uh, sorry..._

_The false Nepgear smiled again. "Please, Nisa-honey; I... actually want you to do something for me. Can you hear me out?"_

_"...Hm, of course! Anything you want, you got it!"_

_"Can you... take Lindy out on a date?"_

_At once, Nisa's face burned red, and she hopped back in shock. "W-W-W-W-W-Wha? T-Take Underling on a d-d-date!? B-B-B-But why?"_

_Nepgeo closed her eyes in thought. "It's just... I feel real horrible about having you girls take care of me all day long... And, uh, well... this is the day I usually take Lindy out for a nice date... It's been like that for the past few weeks." She gently pressed her hand on the heroine's shoulder. "...May you take her out in my place? You two deserve a fun night out, and I know that I can trust you to make her happy."_

_The upholder of the righteous blushed again, and looked down at her feet. "B-But... W-We can't just leave you! I'd feel terrible..."_

_The imposter grinned. "Ah, don't worry 'bout little ol' me. Since it's only fair, I was thinkin' of having a little date with Gust here tonight. I'd really like to get to know her better, and some alone time would certainly help us along~"_

_The alchemist, who was flipping through a large book, called from the other side of the room. "Gust is reading now; Don't involve me in perverted plans."_

_"Oh, it's nothing perverted, little Gusty!" Nepgeo replied. She then whispered into Nisa's ear. "...Yet, hehe."_

_At that moment, Linda returned to the room, holding a bottle of orange juice. "Well, this was all the supermarket had. Prolly not the best, but what can ya do? It has to be better than frikkin cough medicine, that's for sure..." She noticed Nisa's red face, and raised an eyebrow. "...Er... Am I interrupting something?"_

_"Lindy, Nisa here is gonna take you out tonight! I want you to have fun with her, 'kay?"_

_Underling recoiled in surprise, as if she had been punched in the gut. "W-What? The hell is this, all a sudden?" She shot a questioning look at the heroine. "What's she talking about?"_

_Nisa blushed and gave a shy smile. "Um, well... Geo wants the two of us to get some fresh air and, er, spend time together!... I-It could be fun..."_

_The imposter chuckled hammily. "Ohohoho! Please, Lindy! I really want you and Nisa to go on a date; I'll feel like I've failed you otherwise."_

_"F-Failed me? What logic are you even using?" Underling ran a hand through her hair, clearly confused._

_"...We always go for a special night out tonight, Lindy... We'd go to a movie, or a nice restaurant... And then we'd go to a hot spring, and we'd hold each other close... and then you'd ever so subtly run your hand up my leg, until it finally reaches-"_

_Gust slammed her book shut and covered her ears. "No one needs to hear this!"_

_Nepgeo blushed. "A-Anyways... I don't want to hold you back... You deserve this special night, babe. Nisey's a fine young woman; She'll show you a good time." She smiled at the heroine, who could only awkwardly smile back._

_Still, Linda refused to accept. "N-No! I-I still don't see why I should go on a date with Flatty!"_

_The purple-haired imposter grinned slyly; Oh dear, she's come up with quite the mischievous plan... "Hmmm... Well, I guess if you really don't wanna go, then I can't force you..." She snapped her fingers, causing Gust to rise up from her seat. "Cutie-pie, I really feel like watching a video right now... May you please put this in the VCR over there?" Huh... What, they still have VCRs here in Gamindustri? That... doesn't seem that technological..._

_"Umm... Ok, Gust will put in video...?" The alchemist was confused by the out-of-the-blue request, but the snapping of the fingers was the tell-tale sign of an important task. Geo simply smirked, and reached into a drawer next to her. She pulled out a tape with a blank tag... What the hell?_

_"Geo... What video is that?" Underling asked hesitantly, sure there was some method to her madness._

_"Oh... Just a fun little video... Nisa and Gusty are, heh, quite familiar with it, and it is rather nice to watch..."_

_"N-No! Alright, I'll go with Flatty! Just... don't put that thing in there!" Heh, that's what sh- E-Er!... U-Uh, what do you suppose that video is? And what did the imposter mean when she said that Nisa and Gust were 'familiar' with it...?_

_Either way, Underling had given in. Within moments, she and Nisa were out the door._

_Nepgeo, wearing quite the seductive expression, turned back to the alchemist. "...Gusty, why don't you put that video in anyways? Hehe, you can sit next to me while we watch it~"_

_"G-Gust knows that gaze! Answer is no!"_

_..._

Whew, that was a rather long flashback... Well, it's over now. Guess we learned what we needed...

If, uh, any of you forgot already, the two unlikely companions had just agreed to get something to eat. They found a local street food vendor and sat down on a nearby bench.

"Mmmm... This is pretty good, I must say!" Nisa heartily proclaimed as she munched on a cliché drumstick.

Linda chuckled. "Man, you sure can eat... Didn't think you had it in ya, honestly..."

"A wise heroine of justice *chomp* must eat to restore her *munch* energy levels, so as to better protect *chew* the fair people." She finished off her meal, pat her chest, and smiled. "...After the citizens are safe and sound, of course!"

"Heh... Whatever floats yer boat, I guess..." The ASIC member scarfed down her food, and looked down at her feet. "...So, Flatty... Why the whole "heroine" act, anyways? How'd you... start, or whatever?"

Nisa thought for a second, then struck a dramatic pose with her hands. "Well, I simply enjoy justice, dear Underling! Always have, always will."

Underling smiled to herself. "Yeah, but where do you get the energy? The motivation? People can be jerks out there... Would you even help jerks?"

"Well, they wouldn't be the easiest to work with, but everyone deserves justice in one form or another. No matter how rude an individual may be, to let harm fall upon them makes me no better than the villains themselves. Surely you understand?"

Linda continued to stare at her feet. "...What about me? Heh... What about a scumbag who works for ASIC? Where do you draw the line?..."

The heroine looked at the green-haired woman's face, and gently clasped her shoulder. "Underlingy... You're no scumbag! As long as an ASIC member isn't the one causing trouble, then they have just as many rights as anybody else."

Underling looked into the heroine's eyes, and felt a spark of... something? It was a confusing sensation, alright... but not one that the villain was unfamiliar with. She hurriedly looked away. "...T-Thanks, Flatty... I-I still think yer insane, though..."

Silence overtook the girls for a minute, both averting their gazes from each other. Oh dear, the awkwardness has returned!

Finally, Nisa spoke again. "...Underling... You don't want to be here, do you? You... You'd rather be with anyone else, right? It's okay; be truthful... I'll understand..."

The villain's eyes widened, and she lifted her hands defensively. "N-N-N-No! T-That's not it at all!... I just feel... I dunno, weird... All things considered, for a chick who used to beat on me, and who has a cutting board for a chest, yer not that... bad."

The heroine grinned merrily, and wrapped one arm around the ASIC member. "Aw, Underlingy! You're not too bad yourself! ...And I'll just forget that cutting board comment..."

"H-Hey! Y-Yer way too close, dammit..."

After a moment of the friendly hug, the upholder of the righteous pulled away suddenly, and sprang up from the bench. "So, Underling... What do you say? How about we go out and have some real fun?"

"H-Huh?" Linda was slightly disoriented at how fast the heroine could jump from one topic to another. "You really want to do this? G-Go on a date, I mean?"

Nisa nodded boldly. "Sure, why not!? A little bonding time never hurt anyone."

"Heh... Fine. Whatever you say... So, what should we do?"

"Hmmmmmmm... Well, what do you and Nepgeo usually do?"

"Well... After eating, we sometimes go to a movie; She really likes spy flicks with hot girls in 'em..."

"A spy flick, huh? That sounds fun! Show me the way, Underlingy!" The heroine looked positively ecstatic, and the ASIC member couldn't help but smile...

At the movies...

_"They're debugging her! And then they're going to debug me! ...Oh my GOD!"_

Um... Well, I guess there weren't any spy movies, huh? Though... I'm not quite sure what genre this particular film is...

"...Sorry about this, Flatty... I didn't expect this film to suck so much." Linda apologized, reaching into the large tub of popcorn.

Nisa helped herself to another large batch. "It's fine, Underlingy... It's sorta funny, in a scary kinda way." She nodded at the villain, and suddenly gasped. "Ah, Lingy!"

"Hm? What?"

"You dropped a couple of pieces of popcorn!"

Linda looked down and indeed found a few pieces of the snack food conveniently lying at the top of her... brassière... I-I never really thought about it before, but she's almost as, uh, underdeveloped as Nisa here... N-Not that I'm looking, or anything!

Before the ASIC member could reply, the heroine continued. "Ah, don't fret; I'll get 'em for you." Innocently, she reached for the villain's chest and picked up the fallen popcorn. "Here ya go..." She then ever-so-lightly pushed the kernels against the stunned Linda's lips.

Underling's entire face burned red, and her mind went entirely blank. This was the sort of thing Nepgeo would do to be seductive, but the heroine seemed to have no clue as to how... odd this all was.

Head in the clouds, the ASIC member lidded her eyes as the heroine gently pushed the popcorn into her lips. Against her better judgement, fair Underling embraced the unique sensation, and almost whimpered when the delicate fingers left her mouth... Wow, that whole passage was strange to say.

Nisa smiled gently, and turned her head back towards the screen, as if nothing weird had happened at all. The villain could only sit there in awe, and take in the rest of the corny horror flick...

...Well, that was a romantic comedy cliché if I've ever seen one...

**INTERMISSION!**

...Er, what? Intermission!? What for? What's goin-

* * *

**"Lowee. Lastation. Leanbox. Planeptune... Long ago, the four landmasses lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when HDD attacked. Only Pale Heart, defender of the Makers, could stop it, but when the world needed her most, she vanished. Countless years passed, and my boss and I discovered the new Pale Heart: an OC named Adrian. And, although his magic skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone...**

**But I believe Adrian can save the world..."**

"...Jade, what are you goin' on about now? You can't just start saying things without warning us first!" Adrian groaned, wiping a hand across his face. The leader of the brothers seemed generally the same as ever, but there was no longer a certain light in his eyes; They were now just dull and lifeless. He had been this way ever since that little impromptu visit to the village... I doubt the others noticed, though.

"Hm? Oh... I was thinking of a nice little opening narration for our rallies. It's important to boost morale and spread the message as quickly as possible!" The aristocrat laughed, and sat back in relaxation.

Ah, now a... slightly more clear answer to the earlier question about timing: Several months have passed since their events in the last chapter, and the boys have been hard at work. While they had decided to usurp the power away from the goddesses, they were quite unsure how to go about it, so all they could do was continue to gather up supporters. This involved hosting magic shows, smaller-scale at first, all around the landmass. Lastation's citizens were surprisingly eager to watch the tricks, and money accrued quite bountifully.

And, unlike on Lowee, nobody ever came to stop them, even though the public appearances were unauthorized(Which is bad, I guess?); Either Lastation had no guard worth his salt, or the goddesses were just too preoccupied with their own lives to notice the townspeople...

Anyways, in the time that had transpired, the CPUs did eventually disperse from Noire's house, and the landmasses once again had their respective goddesses back. Also, I presume some(not all, mind you) of the vignettes we've witnessed so far happened in that time. However, there had been some unsettling rumors circulating, and the team of the aristocrat and the 'A' Brothers were all too quick to scoop them up.

"So, word has it that there's about to be a... paradigm shift in the Shares exchange, if you will." Almaz declared in some feign attempt at an odd high-class accent. "Last I've heard, wedding bells are in the air... Can you guess between who?"

Jade tilted his head curiously. "Wedding bells? Hm, you caught my attention... It has nothing to do with White Heart, does it? I... I wouldn't want to hear it then..."

"You make no sense to me: You say you loath the goddesses with a passion, and yet you can't get that Blanc chick outta yer head. Make up yer mind, will ya?" Alex droned, picking his fingernails.

The aristocrat shrugged. "W-Well, you know... Enemy or not, she's... cute... I've always had a thing for girls like her..."

"'Girls like her?' ...You know what, I don't even want to know..."

Almaz looked around the room, waiting for an opportunity to continue. "...Erm, this isn't about White Heart... though there's something about her I've also heard." He softly flapped his hand up and down for some reason. "...No, this concerns two other CPUs... Lady Black and Purple Heart."

Adrian darted his head in Almaz's direction at once. "...P-Purple Heart? W-What about her!?" Hm? That's an interesting response...

"Now, it's not official or anything, but there have been some reports that Purple Heart and Black Heart... are engaged to be married. The goddesses of two separate nations are coming together... and it's also assumed that the respective Candidates are in a relationship as well..."

The leader of the brothers clenched his fists. "...N-Neptune is... getting married? Neptune... THE Neptune?" Shit, his eyes are practically in flames! "...MY Neptune is getting married!?"

Jade looked curiously at the young man, then shook his head. "...Lastation's and Planeptune's leaders are hitched to each other, huh? That could spell massive trouble indeed..."

Almaz held up a finger and grinned, thrilled at finally being the one with all the knowledge. "It doesn't stop there, though... Apparently, the oracle of Lastation has been getting rather friendly with-" He looked Jade squarely in the eye. "-Lady White Heart; Yep, Blanc."

This time, the aristocrat was the one to clench his fists. "...Heh, now I'm angry... Not only did that Noire bitch let my sister die, but now... she's sending her secretary to get on Blanc's good side..." He raised his arms in frustration, the brothers watching him intensely. "You all know what this means, right? Once Lady Neptune and Noire get married, Planeptune and Lastation will be forced to become one! Two nations becoming one single entity virtually overnight! The power distribution between the landmasses will spiral out of control! Think of all the chaos that would ensue... And it won't stop there! If Blanc and that oracle really get serious, then Lastation and Lowee may as well merge, too... Lady Black Heart will become so strong, and none of us would be able to stop her..."

Alex sneered. "Eh, will it really get that bad? Maybe you guys are just blowin' everything out of proportion."

"No! This is serious news! Once the two landmasses become a single being, the combined Shares will make them the most powerful force in the universe... The oppression of the people will only get worse..." Jade snapped, his usual demeanor temporarily breaking down. He sat in silence for a moment, then sighed. "...Only Pale Heart could be trusted with so much faith... Her goal was to unite all four nations into one single utopia, and she had the strength to be a capable leader... Lady Black Heart, though, is no benevolent soul; All the extra Shares will get to her head... And Gamindustri will suffer dearly..."

Adrian nodded, his eyes still empty-looking, and picked up the tome. "...So, yer point is that we don't have very much time to operate, huh? Well, then we'd better move fast." He opened the cover, and found the bold number '24' shining brilliantly. "We're Level 24 now... That's good, but not good enough. We need to actually use some of these higher-tier codes... C'mon, no time to waste."

Alex sighed, but stood up. "Ugh, why are you so gung-ho now? Don't tell me you still dig that Neptune chick, or whatever."

The leader winced. "...Alex... If I threatened to murder Nepgear in front of you, would you be fine with that?" The hell? Where's that coming from?

"M-Murd...!? W-W-W-Where did that...?" See, he's confused too.

"Well, what's your answer? Have you let go of the very purpose of your birth: To fall in love with Planeptune's CPU Candidate?" Crap, Adrian sounds scary right now... It's like he's become somewhat possessed...

The irritable brother gave a snarling expression, and shook his head. "...Wha...? ...No... I guess I still have... feelings for... her..."

"Right... And despite our past together, I still love Neptune with all my heart... I simply can't allow some insufferable bitch to swoop in and claim her!" He turned forward and, with a horrible aura surrounding him, began to storm out of the cabin. "...That's MY job!"

...

* * *

**INTERMISSION OVER!**

...Ok, I'll just go with it...

...

After the film, the two girls left the theater and went for a brisk stroll through the park. Not much conversing took place, as before; Perhaps Nisa finally realized what she had done.

"...So... nice night, huh?"

"...Yeah, I guess..." Such an engrossing conversation.

Suddenly, as if this story was lacking clichés, a scream rang out. "H-Help! Somebody!"

Nisa's head perked up, and she quickly scanned the surroundings. "Look, over there! It's a citizen in need!"

A fair distance away, an old man was cornered against a tree. Two boys, most likely brothers, were harassing him. "Heh, give us yer money, old dude!" The older one said. He isn't very memorable, I must say... Er, just imagine a man with short, slightly unkempt hair... Yeah, that's it.

"Shyah! You tell him, brah!" The younger one laughed. He, also, isn't the most recognizable face in the world. This one has long, billowing hair, though, so that may be a little better.

"W-What do you want from me!? I-I don't have much to give!" The old man cried.

"Yeah, keep blabberin', gramps! We know you're loaded! The cash in yer wallet will make a nice investment for our restaurant, right brah?"

"True that, brah! Now, fork over the credits, bub, before we knock 'em outta you!"

"O-O-Oh please, no!" Oh dear... This old man doesn't have much time left!

"Hold it right there, evildoers!" A voice cried out from the night. The two brothers turned their heads, and saw a figure standing atop a high rock, illuminated by the glorious moon. "Gamindustri's Heroine of Justice has arrived! You leave that old fart alone!"

"What the...!? B-Brah! T-There's a guy with long blue hair threatening us! W-W-What do we do!?" The young brother panicked, gripping his club tightly (Don't look into that statement too hard).

The older brother held out his hand. "Not so fast, little brah... That's a chick, yo! The only thing we have to fear is her disgustingly flat chest."

The heroine's eyes lit up like flames. "'D-Disgustingly...!?' Grr, I sweep the floor with hethins like you for breakfast!" ...Something was off with one of her words, I swear...

The younger brother posed with his thumb towards his face. "Ha! How can you expect to take us both on when you can't even spell correctly? 'Heathens' is what yer lookin' for, no-boobed freak!" Ah, that was it... "Now, zip up yer damn uniform before you make my brah and I puke."

Nisa grew angrier by the second; Not only were these boys insulting, but they managed to catch her typo. Enraged beyond reason, she gave out a battle cry and leapt from the rock. "Take my mighty roundhouse kick of JUSTICE!"

In the background, Linda watched in awe as the heroine jumped high into the air. Before today, she had never actually seen the girl in crime-fighting action... Well, at least when SHE wasn't on the opposite end of a justice kick. She had to admit, it was kind of exciting. "Go get 'em, Flatty..." Underling muttered under her breath.

The heroine of justice charged up her roundhouse kick and struck. The blow caught the older brother right in the chest, and he was knocked back several feet. The younger brother, however, must've been somewhat genre-savvy, for he ducked under the attack, and swung his club up high. It connected with the surprised girl, and she was launched onto her ass.

"Heh... Told ya you were no match for me an' my brah... Now, why don't I mess up yer face; It'll distract people from that pane of glass you call a chest!" The younger brother raised his weapon, and prepared to finish off his opponent.

"H-Hey! Not so fast, dirtbag!"

The villainous 'brah' looked over at the surprise voice, and grinned. "Heh heh... And who are you supposed to be? This freak's sidekick?"

Underling snarled at the man. "I'm... no one's... sidekick, buddy..." She looked at the downed Nisa, and felt her rage increase. "...But, I am Nisa's friend... and I don't appreciate the shitty treatment yer givin' her! Now, you got three whole seconds to turn around and get the hell out of my face, or I'm gonna send yer ass straight to hell!"

Nisa slowly sat up, rubbing her stomach and eyeing the ASIC member curiously. "U-Underling...?"

At the same moment, the older boy got back up, and stood beside his brother. "Yo, brah... That chick ain't got no tits, either!"

"Man, how could two hideous things be in the same exact place? That's, like, bad luck..." The younger boy returned to his battle position. "Fine! You wanna scrap? You don't stand a chance!"

The criminal brothers dashed towards Underling, who was reaching into her jacket. Her eye twitched in frustration. "...I may not have tits, but... I have THIS!" Right as the men were about to strike, the ASIC member lashed out with her trusty iron pipe... thingamajig (Seriously, how the hell does she conceal that?).

The brothers' eyes widened a second before the pipe struck them, sending them hurling across the sky. "S-Shit!" Aaaaand... yep, there's that cliché twinkling star as they head off into the distance.

"Heh... assholes. You better not show yer ugly faces in front of us again, ya hear!?" Linda shouted, her heart thumping like crazy. It took a moment for her to fully realize the adrenaline rush she was feeling. "...H-Holy crap... D-Did I just... win? Did I seriously just kick their asses?... That felt pretty good..."

The old man stood up, and bowed in respect. "Oh, thank you, thank you! I... I won't forget this kindness!" With that, he ran for the hills.

Taking the victorious villain by surprise, Nisa sprang up suddenly and hugged Linda. "U-U-Underlingy... You were magnificent! Why, those cretins didn't even know what hit 'em! I-I... W-Wow, my hands are shaking!"

Linda blushed, and bashfully smiled. "Well, heh, y'know... Y-You were pretty cool, too! Like, you appeared out of nowhere and kicked that guy from the sky... I-If that bastard didn't sneak attack ya, you totally could've wiped 'em both out in seconds!"

The heroine also blushed, and turned her head away. "...I'm losing my heroic edge, aren't I? I... I never get caught that easily! What if... What if I've lost my touch? I... won't be able to call myself a heroine of justice anymore..." Her eyes look so depressed right now... Man, it's hard to look at... Why, if I was a different man, I'd probably run out there and just frikkin' hug her...

...Er, though I'd probably crush her if I tried... Just forget I said anything...

"D-D-Don't talk like that! You..." Linda looked away, trying to arrange her thoughts. "...You're strong as hell, Flatty... So what if this didn't go as smoothly as you hoped? What's one bad day? You... You fight for love and justice, and all that shit, right? Well, ya can't just give up now! Who'll watch over the, er, innocents?"

Nisa looked up at the ASIC member's face, finding solace where she least expected it. She closed her eyes, and pressed their foreheads together. "Underlingy... I... Thank you..." She sniffled, and wiped an apparent tear from her eye. "...You know, you saved my life... You protected me."

The green-haired woman closed her eyes as well, and absentmindedly tilted her head slightly. "...Of course I'd help you, Flatty... W-When I said you were my friend... Heh, well, I realized that I... really meant it..."

"Underling..."

...Er, what's going on...? Their faces are awfully close...!?

The two girls' lips were a mere breath away from each other now. Ever so slowly, they inched closer... closer... closer...

...B-But screw cliché, for once... Or, reinforce it! Or... Neh? At the last possible moment, reality set in, and the two separated. 'Just what are we doing?' they must've thought. What would Gust and Nepgeo say if they saw this?

...And why did it feel so right? So natural?

The two were silent for a long while, until Underling decided to break the ice. "Hm, e-enough with this sentimental crap! This is a... date, dammit! Let's go have some fun before the night's over, huh? How about it?"

Nisa smiled at the sudden outburst, and nodded decisively. "Y-Yes! It is our duty to have a night filled with joy!... Er, but what should we do?"

The ASIC member flashed a cocky grin. "Heh... Follow me."

And here they are: an old, run-down arcade. Huh, guess arcades are the top spots for dates on Gamindustri... Oh, what I wouldn't give to be able to take a young lass on a date to one of these sanctified dojos... E-Er, but I digress...

"Friend or not, Flatty, we're still enemies: You fight for justice, and I kick the stuffin' outta justice. So, I propose a duel..." The villain pointed at an old light gun arcade game. "...Whoever gets the most points from shooting zombies is the ultimate victor. Any objections?"

The heroine struck a heroic pose. "I humbly accept your challenge, fair Underling! But do not celebrate yet; This heroine is no stranger to shooting zombies!"

"Heh... Well then, let the games begin."

And so, the two competed for the highest score in a cooperative shooting game. Let's view a few scenes, shall we?

_"I-I don't wanna die! *dies*" "My God."_

_"No more fooooooling around."_

_"No! Help ME!"_

_"My friends went inside. But they're not back yet. I told them not to go..."_

_"Everything's set. All we need to do is wait."_

Who was the victor, you ask? Well, that's an easy one! The winner was obviously

...

The night nearly over, the two girls began walking back to the hotel.

"You know, Underlingy... We never did go to that hot spring Nepgeo mentioned."

"Well... We can go there next time."

Nisa tilted her head curiously at that comment. "Next time?... Are you saying that you wouldn't mind going on another date with me?"

The ASIC member's eyes widened in shock, and she quickly looked away. "U-U-Uh, um... I-I guess it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world..." She then shook her head. "...Screw it. Yeah, Flatty, I'd like to... do this again, sometime... if you wouldn't mind."

The heroine hugged the villain. "Of course, Lingy! That... sounds nice."

"...S-Still goin' with 'Lingy,' huh?"

Soon enough, the odd companions arrived back at the room, and found Gust lying next to Nepgeo. "Shh! Little Gusty's fast asleep..." The imposter lovingly pat the alchemist's head, and reached for the television remote, presumably to adjust the volume or power or something.

Hm, I can still hear something from the TV, if I listen really hard...

_"Najica, adjust our course to the right, 13 degrees."_

_"Okay."_

_"...Najica..."_

_"What?"_

_"The sky is so red..."_

_"...Hm?"_ Obscure anime reference no one understands...

Nepgeo paused the show and looked expectantly at the two girls. "So, how was your hot date, you two? Any steamy CG scenes?" The sick imposter asked, a devilish grin covering her face.

The two girls looked at each other and smiled. "We had a great time! Me and Underlingy make quite the dynamic duo!"

"Heh, yeah, we surprisingly do..." Linda chuckle nervously, then pointed at the slumbering girl. "Er, uh, Geo, I have to ask: How'd you get her to cuddle with you? I'm kinda curious."

Nepgeo nodded to herself, and lovingly pat the sleeping alchemist's head some more. She sure likes doing that... "A secret makes a woman woman, Lindy-bear!"

The ASIC member sighed. "Yeah, I expected as much... Is she staying here for the night?"

"Huhmmmmmm... Nah, we should probably carry her to the other room; Don't wanna hog her from ya, Nisey!"

The heroine blushed, but nodded. Carefully, she picked up the alchemist, and carried her out. "Goodnight, Nepgeo! We'll be back first thing in the morning!"

"Ok, Nisa-cutie!" The imposter called back. "Whew, I'm feelin' kinda better... Still not 100 percent, yet, but it's a start."

Underling nodded, and rubbed her hand in her girlfriend's hair. "I'll, uh, be right back. I never said goodnight to Flatty; Just doesn't feel right if I don't, y'know?"

"Teehee, I understand, baby~"

...

Nisa tucked Gust into bed, and heard a knock on the door. Yawning, she opened it, and found Linda standing in the hall. "U-Underling? D-Did you need something?"

The villain awkwardly shifted her feet, not sure why she was so uncomfortable. "I-I just wanted to say that I... had a great time tonight, Flatty... If we could do this again, I... I'd be thrilled, y'know?"

The heroine smiled bashfully, and walked closer to embrace the ASIC member. "Yeah, let's do this again soon... You know, for a villain, you're not half bad, Unde... L-Lin...da; You make a great comrade."

"Yeah... And for a corny heroine, yer pretty cool yourself..." Quickly, without warning and before any other thought could take place, the two women found themselves in a soft but meaningful kiss. Time itself seemed to stand still...

Time... Time... Standing still? No... Rapidly turning...? Time never stops, only moves forward... But why is it...? Quick... So quick... Not natural... Moving too fast...!

...Wha... What's this... sensation? What th-

_"S-Shit... It's all my frickin' fault!"_

_Nisa wrapped an arm around the sobbing Underling, tears in her own eyes. "T-There, there... It's all right... You're c-certainly not to blame..."_

_"Y-Yes I am! I... I promised to protect her, and I failed! The one thing I promised not to screw up, and I couldn't even manage that! I'm... such a shitty human being..." The ASIC member's tears fell to the ground. "...I couldn't save Magic, and now... I couldn't do jack shit to save..." She clenched her teeth tight, and let out a sobbing breath. "...She... She didn't deserve this... Why couldn't it have been me instead? Why did she...?"_

_"Don't say that! She protected you, Underling... You made her the happiest woman on the planet, and now... Well, she ensured you can keep making everyone else happy." The heroine lightly cupped Linda's cheek. "...The world needs you, Linda... I need you..."_

_"N-Nisa..." Still in tears, the ASIC member's face slowly extended closer to the heroine's, until their lips became one. The somber kiss lasted for a minute, until the two had to separate for air. "...Please don't ever leave me... I can't lose you too."_

_"...Underling, I'll stay by your side until the day this heroine's light burns out!... I promise with all my heart."_

_"T-Thank you..." The two joined together for another kiss, and the chaos of the outside world became locked out of their senses, if only for the brief moment._

_...On the stand next to the bed, laid straight-up and covered in fallen tears, were an ASIC hair-clip and a necklace adorned with an orange-haired moe:_

_All that remained of the purple-haired imposter._

...

...W-What the hell was that!? W-W-W-W-Why did that just happen!? There's no reason for that scene to even exist! It's like... someone just planted that cutaway scene to screw with us...

...Shit, who is this new author? Constantly cutting to those brown-haired young men... Showing us that strange realm where the goddesses have perished... Hell, I'm pretty sure this mystery person has enough strength to show actual dream sequences, something even Arfoire couldn't do! Whoever they are, I don't trust them...

...Still, that scene's mere existence is frickin' bothering me! Was it... Was it just an illusion? A misplaced dream sequence?

Or... a premonition? What if it was a first draft of something that will occur in the near or far future?

...N-Nah, can't be...

A-Anyways, back to the original scene...

The two girls slowly separated, and looked at each other curiously. "F-Flatty..." Underling felt like she was floating; Like she did whenever she was with Nepgeo, or Magic...

"G-Good night, Underlingy..." The heroine pulled the stunned villain in for massive hug. "I-I'll see you in the morning."

"Y-Yeah... Good night, Flatty... Er, uh, s-sweet dreams!"

Nisa smiled softly, nodded her head, and closed the door to her room. Linda smiled to herself, and floated back into her own lodgings.

Nepgeo looked up and saw the expression on her girlfriend's face. "Whoa-ho-ho, what happened to you, Lindy? Something awesome?"

"W-Wha... No! N-Nothing happened! I-I-I-I..." Quickly, she made herself yawn, and wiped her eye. "...I'm just tired, is all... M-Mind if I lie down next to you?"

"Hehe, I don't mind... But, aren't you worried about getting sick?"

"Ah, screw the flu; I say, bring it on!" With that, Underling plopped down next to the purple-haired imposter, and ran a hand through her beautiful long hair. "...I-I love you, Geo." Hm... Did this moment call for that? I mean, it's nice and all, but why choose this second to reiterate her feelings? Is the mood just right, or something? Or... Is Underling trying to come to terms with something...?

"Teehee, I love you too, Lindy..." She kissed her cheek. "...Now, go get some rest, 'kay? Can't have my Windy-bear exhausted in the morning."

"Heh... Yeah, I'm beat..." Slowly, Underling closed her eyes, and quickly drifted off into a deep and confusing sleep.

Nepgeo lovingly caressed her head, and stared up at the ceiling, perhaps thinking about... well, life itself? Ah, who knows; I'm tired out too. I think it's high-time we end this chapter...

In the meantime, I'll be thinking about this whole author debacle... Til next time, dear viewers...

**ELEGY...?: END**

* * *

...Yeah, I knew it couldn't be over yet. That would be too easy...

After determining that the CPUs getting married would be a horrible thing, Jade and the 'A' brothers journeyed into an abandoned section of town to test out some new cheat codes, in the hopes for some desperate level grinding.

"Hm... Hmm... Hmmm... Hmmmm..." Getting tired of that yet? "...This code looks very interesting..." Adrian looked up from the book and stared at his timid brother. "Almaz! Here, hold your hand out."

"Huh? Like this...?"

"Yep... Here we go." He memorized a different code and flipped to the controller. Up, L1, Triangle, Right... A ding sounded, and a pistol landed right in Almaz's hands... Holy crap!

"U-Uh, bro... what is this for?" The hesitant brother asked, sweat forming on his forehead.

"Hold on..." Adrian found his next desired code, and entered it as well. B, White, B, B, Y, Black... Another ding, and... well, nothing... At least, I don't see anything different. The leader looked directly at his brother again, seriousness prevalent on his face. "Almaz, I want you to shoot me; Right here, in the heart. Do it now."

"W-What!? S-S-Shoot you!? I..."

"I'm not going to ask twice... Do it."

"B-B-B-B-B-B-But...!"

"NOW, ALMAZ!"

The timid brother closed his eyes and squeezed the trigger, sending a bullet straight towards the leader. The mere sound of the blast caused Jade to tense up immediately; What, he's afraid of gunshots?

Adrian immediately fell backwards onto the ground.

"Shit, Adrian!" Alex screamed, and he ran over to the downed brother. Expecting him to be a bloody mess, he was surprised by the cleanliness of the possible murder. "...No way..."

Planted firmly in Adrian's shirt was the bullet, penetrating no deeper than the flimsy layer of fabric. The leader looked up at the three other men and grinned darkly. "Heh, that last code was '30-second invincibility'... Guess it works."

Jade helped the brown-haired young man off of the ground, and shook his head in disbelief. "Blimy, y-you gave us quite the scare... Fill us in next time, will you?"

The leader of the brothers smirked, and continued walking. "Come on... We have some more codes to try..."

Almaz looked hesitantly at Alex and Jade, who merely shrugged in response. They, too, journeyed on...

...

In no time at all, the 'Crucial Codes' reached Level 25, and the long-awaited 'Easy Money' cheat was finally accessible. If you couldn't guess, the boys were quite eager to test it out.

"Do it. Do it NOW!" Almaz squeed in anticipation, looking like a little child.

"Take it easy! I'm doin' it..." Adrian smiled, and entered the fabled code. R2, R2, L1, L1, LEFT, DOWN, RIGHT, UP, LEFT, DOWN, RIGHT, UP... Yep, there's that ding sound again... What, I never actually described this ding? Um, just imagine the sound of a bell you'd find in a kitchen to address a fry cook, or whatever... Those still exist, right?

At once, a wad of credits dropped down from the sky. Huh... I assumed that the process would be a bit more... subtle than that. "Freakin' ace! Cash, men!" Alex cheered, and he immediately began counting. However, his face quickly soured. "Hey... There's only 5,000 credits here... Do the code again!"

And that's what Adrian did. He reentered the code, but was met with a brazen "BRZZZT!" ...There, did you like the sound I tried to make? I think I did a mighty fine job with that onomatopoeia... Is that the proper word for it?

"Crap, it's not working... Apparently, the code can only be used once every 24 hours..."

"24 bloody hours? And for a meager 5,000 credits? The hell's the point, then?"

Adrian thought for a moment, and nodded. "Hm... Well, our average income from the magic shows is hefty enough for us to get by... And, we have Avenir backing us up too, so it's not like we're struggling to survive at this point..." He nodded to himself, and did that disturbing smirk again. "We can set aside this money for larger ad distribution, merchandising, and... Heh, uniforms..."

Jade curiously tilted his head; Is that all he can do? "Uniforms? Whatever for, if I may ask?"

"You said it yourself: We can use the power of this tome to teach those goddesses a lesson; To put them in their place. Only we have the ability to save Gamindustri... But to do that, we'll need devoted followers. Uniforms will make us an official faction against the CPUs, and will, well, unite everyone closer to our cause." He smirked again. "...All armies wear a designated uniform... Come, let's go shopping."

Alex facepalmed, and sighed. "Jeez, an army? He's so serious, all of a sudden... It's kinda creepin' me out..."

Jade ran a hand through his majestic hair. "His devotion is exactly what we need. His leadership will help us change Gamindustri forever."

"Yeah, yeah... Still creepy, though."

* * *

...And still, it goes on... Why has the pattern of the rest of the story been completely eschewed these past two chapters?

...

The 'A' brothers and Jade soon found themselves in a clothing store, and were scrutinizing various forms of apparel suitable for identifying followers. The search... had yet to be fruitful.

"Um, what about these snazzy boots? They're all the rage with kids, nowadays..." Almaz suggested.

"Ew... Those are just glorified winter boots... And besides, we can't account for everybody's shoe size, you dipstick!" Alex grunted, looking at frilly colored socks.

Almaz, undeterred, gave out another suggestion. "W-Well, what about these... feathers!? Yeah... Our follower people could stick these in their hats or hair, or whatever. That way, everyone can wear em, and they're not that hard to carry around, so..."

Adrian shook his head. "No, feathers are too small and tacky; We need something that is immediately noticeable, both positively and negatively... But feathers may be a step in the right direction..." He began mumbling to himself, and scoured the shop for random knick-knacks. "...Yes, actual apparel would be too complicated when considering the size and proportion of our future followers... Hell, some may even be children... No, we need something that can be worn around the head, but not exactly a hat either..."

"Well, what about a bandana?" Jade spoke up from behind. "Just wrap 'em around your forehead, and boom! Clear affiliation! We'll need an eye-catching color, though..."

"Bandanas...?... Yes... That may just work..." The leader realized the potential in the idea, and immediately found the section of the clothes shop that sold colored-fabric. "Hmm... Blue? No... Can't be purple, green, black, or white either; Wearing the CPUs' colors will confuse people... Red? Erm..." But perhaps the answer had been decided long before... His mind traveled back to that poor village, and the house of the late Isara. A barren wasteland, devoid of all color and life except for one identifying flag on the door... "...Yellow!" He thought for a second, just to be sure, then nodded. "...Yellow. Yellow is just right."

"Yellow? Wasn't there a Yellow Heart at one time or another? Or was that just a bed-time story?" Almaz asked, kinda confused. Yellow Heart? The hell would that be?

"It doesn't matter; No goddess alive right now is associated with the color yellow... and I'd be damned if yellow didn't catch people's attentions..."

"Yellow, mate? Are you positive that's what you want to go with? I mean, it's certainly not the most fashionable color..." Alex said, rubbing the back of his head uncomfortably. I must admit, yellow does seem like an odd color to use for an... army.

"Yes, I'm quite sure... Everyone! Pick up as much yellow fabric as you can; We will make our own bandanas, and imprint them with our rebellion's new logo-" Adrian grinned more smug than ever. "...Pale Heart's controller, for the 'Ghost'..."

...

And so, the boys purchased as much yellow fabric as they could buy, and went to work on making an appropriate design. On each bandana, they planted a silhouette of the controller that allowed them to mend the world with cheat codes.

With the apparel of their future army all set, the only thing left to do was grind experience and rally enough supporters for the cause. Time continued to fly by, and the brothers pulled in more and more fans with their ever-increasing arsenal of magic tricks. The most popular by far was the 'Invincible Adrian!' trick, where a random audience member was handed a freakin' rifle and told to blast the leader of the brothers anywhere on his body. The fact that not one single droplet of blood was ever spilled amazed the people everywhere, and soon, word spread throughout all of Gamindustri about the prowess of the 'A' Brother's arcane abilities...

Time: Ever-flowing, and all-consuming... In a flash, winter arrived, and Christmas came and went without too much fanfare. The tome continued to level up, and the boys grew more comfortable with their abilities.

And, more and more devoted fans became engrossed to the point of obsession. After every show at this point, Adrian would deliver a speech about the tyranny of the CPUs, and how those insufferable dictators believed that HDD made them so much better than everyone else.

And, each and every time, more and more would nod and mumble in complete agreement.

The time for change was soon at hand. All they needed now was a trigger; A certain spark to ignite their planned riots.

And that spark came one afternoon, when two goddesses decided to finally share their news with the rest of the world...

But that is a tale for a little later on...

...

...Whew, it's done for today... It just kept dragging ON and ON...

...*snck... whooze...* Ah! Focus, focus... Stay awake... We're almost done...

...Now, the script has lied to me before, but it claims here that we only have one vignette left before... the climax? The credit roll? I-It doesn't specify exactly, but at least it's something, right? We're so close... One more random, awkwardly written tale, and we're done! We'll be free!

...Just... need to hold on... a bit... longer...


	8. Throw It All Away?

_"Whew... I think my heart just stopped~"_

_A nude figure, clearly *ahem* a woman, rolled off of another *ahem* woman... as if that's any surprise by now. One had long, brown hair, while the other had purple hair... Wait a second!_

_"Heh... I thought you said you did this for a living?" The familiar brown-haired girl gleamed. Wait...?_

_"Well, I never met a woman with your level of... experience... It's almost like you're from another world!" The beauty on the bottom said. Yeah... And that's Nepgeo! But, what's she doing with this stranger?_

_The brown-haired girl simply giggled, and hugged the purple-haired imposter. "...To be perfectly honest, you were a lot better than I imagined you'd be... You almost had me defeated back there."_

_"Hehe... Well, I aim to please." The two joined for a kiss, then separated and turned their heads towards the ceiling. "...So, I never caught your name, babe; Would you care to enlighten me?"_

_The strange woman smiled and closed her eyes. "Cerise. Odd name, I know, but it certainly gets the ladies' attention." Cerise? Wait a second... Isn't this the same strange girl who talked with Noire, and helped plot that scheme with Chika and Vert? Yeah, and then she was a hotel attendant, and a bartender... and an apparent enemy of Arfoire! She gave several different names then... Were all of those lies? Is Cerise just an alias, too?_

_"Hm, it most certainly does. Sounds very exotic~" The imposter Nepgear cooed. "...Well, Cerise... My name's Nepgeo; It's a pleasure to have, er, spent time with you this fine evening."_

_"Likewise, Nepgeo. You are quite the gentlewoman."_

_A silent moment came to pass, with the girls recovering from their *ahem* frivolous activities. It was... Cerise... that broke the silence. "Hey, Nepgeo... Pardon me asking, but have you ever... been in love? Like, for more than just a heated loving session; Actual, emotional love?"_

_The purple-haired imposter thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Love...? Hmm... I may have had a small crush or two back when I was little, but nothing more than that... Why? Have you fallen hopelessly head-over-heels for me?"_

_The brown-haired young woman chuckled. "Not quite... I was just curious, is all. Wouldn't you prefer to have a full-time girlfriend instead of a bunch of one-night stands? Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, but still..." She ran a hand through the imposter's hair. "You seem like the type of gal who yearns for a steady relationship. Y'know, one where you and your lover would protect each other with yer lives. Unwavering devotion."_

_Nepgeo thought again, then shrugged. "Eh... Maybe one day, but I'm happy where I am right now. You'd be hard-pressed to find a girl who could swoop in and take my heart so easily."_

_Cerise smiled softly. "Well, you never know; Love works in mysterious ways. At any moment, Cupid could decide to pair you up with the most unexpected person, one you never could have anticipated..."_

_"Heh... Well, if Mister Cupid is so powerful, then give me yer best shot, buddy! I dare you to make me fall in love!"_

_And, while Nepgeo could never have known, some force in the universe heard her call, and responded swiftly with: "Challenge accepted..."_

* * *

"Yo, I'm back!... Er, anyone home?"

Adrian entered the cabin, a full bag of groceries firmly in hand. No response.

"Alex...? Almaz...?... What, did Jade pick em up to do some more recruiting? We didn't have anything planned for today...?"

A familiar feeling of dread washed over the brown-haired young man, and he quickly dashed throughout the entire lodgings, hoping to find some source of life.

"D-Dammit... Where the hell'd they go?" The boy took note of the shoes in the corner; Why would his brothers leave without their shoes? He began shivering, his spine ice-cold.

Before his mind could wander to any further dark place, a knock came to the door.

The leader of the brothers jerked his head towards the cabin's entrance, and immediately sprang for the knob. "Oh, thank Pale Heart! I was worrie-" *Thwack!* In a flash, Adrian collapsed to the floor, and everything went black...

...

"Wake up, dog!"

Adrian's eyes snapped open, and they strained ruthlessly to adjust to the light. He could make out a silhouette standing before him, clearly a well-developed woman, but he couldn't determine the details.

He tried to speak, but found that his mouth was gagged. If you even had to ask, the boy was nearly frightened to death.

"It would be unsportsmanlike to finish you off without you being fully conscious... Perhaps seeing your allies fall first will inspire you to wake up..."

The woman took a few steps to the right, stopping in front of another prisoner. Adrian slowly turned his head, his head still muddled, and lightly gasped. "A-Almavfshz?"

Indeed... Although he could only see his fellow captive's hair, he knew from its spiky style that it had to be his brother Almaz. Oh my... What the hell's going on?

The woman took her hand and tenderly cupped Almaz's chin. "This is what happens to those who defy my rule." A sudden jerk of her other hand, and she raised a spear, preparing to strike. Before she did, however, she carefully turned the meek brother's head, allowing Adrian to glimpse his face.

"!" ...Er, or lack there of. The brown-haired young man had no face to speak of! The leader's eyes opened wide, and he cried out into the mouth gag.

The woman chuckled darkly, and thrust the spear through Almaz's chest. The weapon remained there for a moment, and then was forcibly ripped out. The boy collapsed, looking more like a ripped doll than a human.

"Next up..." She hummed cheerfully. Sure enough, Alex was also here, and had as much a face as the meek A brother. Another vicious stabbing sound, and the irritable one lay still.

Adrian's eyes welled up with tears, and he fought savagely against the bindings around his wrists. But it was no use...

The woman smirked at the sobbing boy, and gestured with her fingers. At once, bulky arms picked him up, and turned him completely around. Kneeling behind him the whole time had been Jade, also lacking a face. What... the hell...!?

"How does it feel-" *Schlish!* Jade was no more. "-to see everyone you care about... die? To see them perish because of your selfish desires? If only you hadn't foolishly acted against us CPUs, think of how many people would still be alive..." The woman pressed her nose directly against Adrian's, and then leapt back up and kicked him in the stomach. That woman... Is that... Lady Green Heart?... Yeah, her HDD form! But... I ask again: What the hell's going on!?

Adrian wouldn't have been able to speak even if he wasn't gagged. Green Heart(?) raised her spear, lined it up with his chest, and...!

...She was gone. In fact, that whole dark room was gone, and so were the restraints. The brown-haired young man now found himself surrounded by vivid red trees, and standing upon what looked to be gray water. Now what the-!?

"W-Where am I...!?" He asked to the thick air around him. Almost immediately, someone coughed in response "!" The leader quickly turned around, and saw a familiar face...

Watwintails, the Lowee guard that had been murdered because of the magic tome.

The boy's eyes were as wide as ever. "Y-You! W-What's going on!?"

The guard shook his head, and stared into his soul with uncaring eyes. "How many people have to die, Adrian? Will you still not be content when you're the only one left still pursuing a hopeless dream? When you stand in a pool of your brothers' blood, all because you think you have a purpose? Let me tell you kid: You have no destiny. You are, and always shall be, somebody else's pawn. Trying to take matters into your own hands will just get everybody killed... or worse. You've already claimed a few lives already; Do you want to claim even more?"

The leader's upper lip twitched in anger, and he made a mad dash for the dead guard, his fist prepared to smash his jaw in... Well, guess what happened when he finally came within reach.

...Yep, Watwintails vanished completely, and a new figure appeared in the otherworldly room. Adrian froze in the blink of an eye.

"Help me, Mistah... I'm scared..." Quite the familiar young girl...

"I-I-Isara...!? I-It's alright! I-I'm here... T-T-T-There's nothing to be scared about, darling."

The young girl looked up at Adrian's face, her eyes empty and gray. "I'm scared... Where's Mommy?"

"M-Mommy's not here right now... b-but I am! C-Come here! I-I'll protect you!" The leader cautiously stuck his hand out, wanting to take the girl's hand and put her mind at ease. However, upon contact, he felt a hellish heat in his palms. "A-Ah, shit!"

Isara's entire temperament had changed in a flash. "You're a bad perwson, Mistah." The little girl droned, her finger now pointing straight at his chest. "You're nuffin' but sewlfish twash! I hate you!"

"N-No! I-I only want to help everyone!... I wanted to help you!"

"You bwought me here, Mistah... You took me fwom Mommy..." A devilish sniffle.

"I-It wasn't my fault!... I-I never meant for you to..."

Before he could finish his thought, poor little Isara cried out, and burst into flames. Her hand extended for his, and he reached out in a complete stupor. A light graze of her fingers, and she was reduced to ash.

Adrian clutched his forehead in pain, his breaths coming out in weak stammers. "N-N-No! Nooooo!"

Watwintails reappeared, and he placed his lanky arm on the broken boy's shoulder. "You killed her, Adrian... Your selfish desires claimed her life, as they also claimed mine. And they can only claim more. Give up."

"N-NO! I... I can't give up! You're wrong! I-I'm going to save Gamindustri! I-I'm going to protect people from the CPUs' abuse and neglect! I'll make sure what happened to Isara... never happens again."

"Oh, you sad, strange little man... When will you learn to just live and let live?" The man's voice grew more and more muddled, and Adrian felt like he was falling. "When will you see that YOU are the one causing problems? That you are going to cause much more needless death than any magical goddess?"

Everything became white, and the brown-haired young man fell deeper and deeper into presumed nothingness... Was he dying? Is this how it was all going to end?

Fading... Fading...

...

"!" With a startled gasp, Adrian's eyes snapped open, and he found himself lying on his back on his solid-as-all-hell mattress. His sight slowly adjusting to the dark, he caught a glimpse of his brothers' slumbering silhouettes, their chests rising and falling in the most tranquil manner. "W-Wha? A... A dream? But... what does it mean...?"

And there you have it, folks: This fanfic saga's first actual cheap dream sequence! It's confirmed: This new scriptwriter is more powerful (and a bigger opponent of brevity) than Arfoire. Brilliant...

* * *

**THE LOVE-STRUCK ADVENTURESS**

"OOOf! ...Ouch... My head..."

A young woman with short, red hair pushed herself off the ground and rubbed her aching head. Taking a slow look around, she found herself sitting on a sandy shore, the tide calmly ebbing to-and-fro. Scattered about the sand were large splinters of wood.

The girl thought for a moment, trying to gather her bearings. "Hmm... I was sailing from Hero City and heading south... when a storm hit! Ah, ok! This is another shipwreck!" Apparently relieved(!?), she leapt to her feet and nodded resolutely. "Well, might as well go adventuring!"

The red-haired woman brushed herself off, and immediately journeyed into the deep thicket before her. I must say, she's taking this whole situation rather well. She claims her ship was destroyed, and now she's on some unknown remote island. Shouldn't she be at least somewhat alarmed? Oh, what do I know?...

The girl's Falcom, by the way... I'm tired of this script screwing with us, so I'll tell you that flat-out.

Apparently, this mysterious, isolated island has a tremendous jungle, or whatever you would call all these trees and stuff. All the while, the stock adventuress became immersed in the thrill of exploration... all in an attempt to distract herself from the thoughts that had followed her for months now...

For you see, ever since that fateful game expo, in which Falcom had no idea anything evil had been afoot, one person had dominated her mind...

...The purple-haired imposter she knew only as Nepgeav.

Never before had the stock adventuress felt such a thrill. There she was, serving as security for the Avenir-sponsored event, when a beautiful imposter of Lady Nepgear walked over and blew her mind with a single heated kiss. Since that day, her mind had become muddled by the memories... and with the hope that she might one day see her again.

However, she had met no such luck thus far. Everywhere she roamed, she was sure to ask around about a woman named Nepgeav... but all she received were confused glances and the shaking of heads. You see, she doesn't realize like us that Nepgeav's actual name is Nepgeo; Sure, it's a very miniscule difference, but for the citizens of Gamindustri, they need every little detail spelled out for them. Hm... I guess that's why those three brothers we keep following have had such luck garnering supporters; The people are freakin' gullible! Why, they'd be tricked by a simple false mustache!

...But I digress...

After a long trek through the wilderness, Falcom sighed and sat against the bark of a tree. "Oh, it's no use... It doesn't feel the same anymore. Why aren't I having fun?" The girl wore a despairing expression, and looked at the grass. "Adventuring's my thing; It's been my way of life since forever! ...So, why is it so hard to do it now? Why can't I focus?" Man, I've never seen her this down... Granted, she's maybe had, like, seven actual lines in total throughout the last few stories, so I'm not an expert on her mannerisms or anything...

But still... Her very passion for life no longer gets her blood pumping? Heavy. She's not symbolic of anyone or anything, is she? Hmm... Has her mind really been affected by that purple-haired imposter so severely?

...Or is she yet another character that's acting completely... well, out-of-character?

...Well, in any case, Falcom wasn't destined to sit and sulk all day. Oh no... She was about to get a visit from quite the unexpected visitor...

"Heya! You ok there? Your eyes look real sad." Came a voice from behind... Wait, how'd this voice see her eyes from behind? Uhm, er... T-The saddened young woman immediately sprang up, reaching for her weapon.

"W-Who goes there!? I'm a stock adventuress, I'll have you know! Don't try any funny business with me!" Didn't seem too energetic there. That's certainly gonna scare someone off...

The mysterious voice giggled. "Teehee... I come in peace! Do you really think someone as adorable as me could mean any harm?" Just then, the stranger leapt out from behind a tree, and flashed an innocent grin. "Howdy there, Falcom; The name's Red! It's a pleasure to finally meet you face-to-face!"

Red!? What the hell's she doing here!? ...Should I even be surprised by now?

...Uh oh... I know what this means...

Whenever Red appears, we're about to hear a lot of... clunky exposition!

Falcom is as stunned as I am, understandably. "R-Red...? Uhm, n-nice to meetcha! ...Er, how do you know who I am? And why are you on this island? ...For that matter, where are we?"

The short, eccentric red-haired girl grinned even wider, and raised her fist in the air. "Well, don't take this the wrong way, but I've kinda sorta been following you around for a while now... Not just you, of course, but... I sense a major importance in you."

"I-Importance in me?" The adventuress tilted her head in confusion and slight interest.

"Yep! I would've brought this all up sooner, but I needed to wait for the right moment... I needed to wait until SHE wouldn't be able hear us." Ugh... Even this little girl can be totally cryptic...

Once again, Falcom served as a great proxy for us confused individuals. "...Um, who's this 'she' you're talking about?"

Red thought for a moment, then nodded. "...Ah, I don't have anything to lose... Whelp, I might as well tell you everything!" ...Oh dear... On second thought, I don't want to know! Please, PLEASE, don't deliver a massive exposition dump! No!

...*sigh*... I know it's futile to resist... Here, she's already beginning...

"The 'she' I'm talking about is Arfoire... You know her, right?"

"Y-Yeah, of course. I helped fight her with Nepgear and the others in the Graveyard long ago!" Thinking back to the days when she was friends with Planeptune's CPU Candidate filled the young woman with tender feelings... and a sense of longing.

"Well, she's not defeated; Not by a long-shot. She resurfaced again back during the game expo on Lastation, but she was dealt with rather quickly... But you don't know anything about that, do you?" Red asked, and Falcom could only shake her head. She had been oblivious to everything that had transpired... Hm, where was she during the whole 'school' debacle, anyways?

The energetic girl continued. "Anyways, since then, the two of us have kinda been locked in some kinda... chess game, I guess? I'd prefer checkers, because I actually know the rules to that game, but whatever... The catch is, Arfoire has no idea who I am; All she knows is that there's somebody interfering with her plans. Back then, she wrote a script that would lead to the end of the world as we know it, but it only covered up until the world transformed. Once everything became a school, the script took a life of its own... So, I took it upon myself to adopt the role of author. It wasn't easy, as the script was filled with so much evil and hate, and I couldn't just pull off a deus ex machina at every turn, but eventually, I found a winning combination of actions that allowed my dear Iffy and the others to kick Arfy's patootie!" That was a long run-on sentence.

By now, Falcom's head was tilted dramatically, and visible question marks were popping out from her head. Poor girl... I narrated all this, and even I'm confused. There's no hope for her to understand this at all coming in this late.

...Same probably goes for any of you late-comers.

Red noticed the girl's confusion and cheerfully pat her head. "I know it's confusin', but hear me out, 'kay? Anyways, after all that, I could feel Arfoire planning something... but I still can't even figure out what. As a precaution, I semi-wrote a script for the Christmas season... I use the word 'semi' because it kinda sorta... finished itself. You see, being an author isn't all it's cracked up to be. You can't just write whatever you want and make it happen; You have to be grounded at least somewhat in reality the whole time. Everything that happens must be logical, to a particular degree. At a certain point, no matter who's writing, the script just takes a life of its own. It can't be controlled anymore; The characters take charge, and go on with their lives. When Arfoire wrote her script, she tried too hard to control every single variable... which set her up to fail tremendously. She never expected any outside interference, such as me waking up all those dragons... It were subplots like those that sank her entire plan."

The long paragraph certainly didn't help ease the adventuress' confusion... Hell, why IS Red telling her all this? ...Unless... she's trying to tell US this stuff...!

Now, I wasn't really in control back then, so correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't she employ a similar tactic while Linda was in this booth? She delivered confusing exposition to IF, I believe, all as a front to get Linda to grasp that the world was not right. Maybe... it's happening again...! ...Crap, let's listen!

Red smiled at Falcom again, then looked down at her feet. "...But, something weird's goin' on. I... I tried to create another script, to prevent her from writing one of her own, but I've been experiencing some disturbances. Like, I made it so I would meet you here in this jungle-place, but there are other scenes that... I have absolutely no control over. It's like somebody else has already taken up the role of author, and they're merely allowing me to set up a few scenes here and there while keeping the rest under their control... But it's not Arfoire! No... Whoever this author is, they are much, much more powerful than she could ever be... I fear that they can do whatever they want, and no rules can contain them. Worse yet... the sensation feels awfully familiar, but I don't know why..."

Falcom looked down as well, stunned beyond all belief at the massive amount of text that had just assaulted her.

But the dragon girl wasn't done just yet! She nervously fidgeted her fingers. "Arfoire is still a major threat, but I can't help but feel that she's just sitting back and watching things play out... She's not tryin' to write her own script again, it seems. But this new author... I just know that they're bad news. This author keeps focusing on random evil side characters, showing flashbacks that only serve to confuse, and can't even keep tone consistent. But, perhaps most alarmin' of all... are the major sections that focus on my... friends. I fear that anyone who had a staring role in a vignette is in major danger! From what, though, I can't be sure..." Red smiled innocently, though it came off as rather strained. "...I'm still a cute little girl; I don't have all the answers."

Falcom was frowning, her head practically emitting white noise. Finally, she gathered the courage and initiative to speak. "Um... I don't mean to be rude at all, but w-why are you telling me all this?"

The boisterous red-haired girl continued smiling and brought her hands to the back of her head. "Hmmm... I dunno! Just felt like blabbin' to a cute hopeful wifey, I guess!" Lies... Well, it's at least partially a lie. "...Ooh! But I'm done rambling on about things you have no experience with... No, I have something that I really, REALLY need to tell you!"

"A-Ah, ok... If you really think it's that important, then I'll keep listening..." Won't we all?

"...You're looking for someone, right? If I may be so bold... Her name's Nepgeav, correct?"

The stock adventuress' eyes widened at hearing the young girl speak that fabled name. "N-N-N-N-Nepgeav!? Do... Do you know her!?"

"Teehee... In a way. In fact, she helped fight Arfoire during the expo... May I ask you something: What do you find so special about her?"

"Special about her...? I-I don't really know... I just can't get her out of my head... For some reason, I-I need to find her; I can't concentrate on adventuring, and it's all because I can't find her..."

"Hee... What if I told you that who you're looking for isn't a woman named Nepgeav? Hmm... And what if whatever she did to you actually secretly made you think of someone else? ...Maybe some hidden true feelings that you've been suppressing transferred over to her? Hm? Interested yet?" ...I've been wondering... Something seems odd about Red, right?... It's like she's more assertive, along with being cryptic... Has this fight with Arfoire hardened the young girl's innocent heart? Kinda... makes me feel sad, actually...

...And angry... Pretty damn angry...

"H-How do you know w-...? W-What are you saying?"

"Love works in odd ways, Falcy!... I can call ya Falcy, right? Hmm, or maybe Falcey~..." Aaaaaand... there's her childish demeanor again... Is she trying to throw me off on purpose? "...Didn't that Nepgeav girl... remind you of someone? Anybody at all?"

Falcom, still perplexed, contemplated Red's words. "Remind me of someone? Well, I actually thought she was Nepgear for a moment, if that counts..."

"Aha, there we go! Tell me, were you happy when you thought you saw Nepgear?"

"Happy... Yeah, of course! Lady Nepgear was a close ally!" The adventuress looked down and closed her eyes, a strange sensation overcoming her. "...She's my comrade, but more than that, she's my friend..." But, now that she thought about it, was the Purple Sister really just her friend? And, how clear exactly were her memories of that game expo?...

...Ooh! Corrupted flashback/dream-sequence mutant hybrid time! This will get odd fast...

_The purple-haired imposter(?) waved to [redacted], and went on the prowl. Like an expert sleuth, she snuck up behind the security girl and lightly brushed against her back._

_"Oh, whoops, clumsy me; I really need to watch where I am going... Hey, what's your name, little lady?" Nepge(ar) remarked, (glorify)ing clumsiness. The girl turned around, revealing... Falcom?_

_"Ah, that's alright, young miss. Although I am a stock adventuress, I can be rather clumsy myself. The name's Falcom!" The short-haired girl declared vibrantly, holding out her hand. "Hey... aren't you... Ah, Nepgear! How's my fellow adventuress doing on this fine day?"_

_Nepge(ar) (nodded) her head slightly. "Hello there, Falcom! Goodness, what a pleasant surprise running into you here..." The candidate lightly stroked Falcom's hand. "My, my... what beautiful hands you have... I've never noticed them before~"_

_Falcom smiled in confusion. "O-Oh, l-likewise, Miss... Nepgear... Ah... what are you doing...?" Nepge(ar) lowered her head, and lightly kissed the Adventuress' hand._

_"Wow, has anyone ever told you how lovely you are? Goodness..." Now she lightly stoked the confused girl's stomach. "... your skin's flawless. I wouldn't mind rubbing against you all day long..."_

_Falcom, not sure what to do, became even more flustered. "Uhm... wha...?"_

_Nepge(ar) now rubbed her hand against the short-haired girl's soft cheek. "Falcom... I've wanted to say this for so long, but I was worried that you wouldn't accept me... I-I think I love you, Falcom!" The candidate's eyes grew exceptionally wide and adorable as she poured her heart out. "Please, be mine! I want to show you pleasure most people can't even dream about! I-I will bring you places you never knew you wanted to go!..."_

_"Um, uh... T-This is so sudden...!..." She grew more flustered by the second, her face now completely red._

_"Don't be afraid... Just surrender yourself to this moment... my beautiful Falcom..." With that, Nepge(ar) brought her lips to that of the innocent Falcom's. _

_[Sentence Redacted]_

_The kiss lasted a good minute, Falcom completely given in. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if her head was mush right now._

_At the two minute mark, Nepge(ar) separated herself from the dazed girl, and lovingly touched the tip of her nose. "...G-Goodness, I'm so sorry! H-How embarrassing! I-I should go!" The Purple Sister embarrassedly turned to flee, but stopped in her tracks. "...I-I-If you don't hate me, Falcom... then know that... I'll be waiting for you... Tehe, t-there's more where that came from... We'll have to meet in secret, though! Um... I'll be using the name Nepgeav; Find me, and... we can... well, you know..." One more soft peck on the lips, and the candidate was gone. Falcom just stood there, trying to collect her thoughts. That's gonna take a while, I presume..._

...Er, that wasn't correct at all... Poor Falcom must've really been affected that day.

...Hm, but she actually remembered things in a whole different light... Something in her mind wanted to believe that Nepgeo, as Nepgeav, was actually Nepgear... There's probably some Freudian logic in that somewhere...

As Falcom reveled in her false memories, Red grinned knowingly. "Heh heh... Do you see now? I bet you aren't just lookin' for Nepgeav because of what she did; You're lookin' for Nepgeav because you wish she was someone else!" If that's not insane troll logic, I don't know what is.

The stock adventuress wanted to reply, but couldn't; Everything made sense when she thought about it. The experience with the mysterious Nepgeav immediately brought thoughts of Nepgear to her mind. All those days she had spent fighting by Planeptune's CPU Candidate's side had caused her to develop feelings for her. However, Falcom, being who she was, could never admit her feelings for her comrade, so she suppressed them in the back of her mind. Once an extraordinary event took place, however, the latent emotions were unleashed, and the feelings for Nepgear transferred to somebody else.

The adventuress, to cope with her overbearing crush on the Purple Sister, made herself fall in love with the stranger who had kissed her out of nowhere. Why? Who can really say... Maybe she felt guilty at loving Nepgear, and needed to escape. Pursuing a well-hidden dream is a perfect way to dodge the truth, is it not?

...Confused yet? If you've been here from the very beginning, you should be no stranger to mind-bending events like this. We just have to lie down and take it, I guess...

...And dammit! Is everybody in this fanfic in love with somebody!? Can't there be such things as platonic relationships!?

The red-haired dragon girl wrapped an arm around Falcom's shoulder. "...I'm on your side, Falcy! I want all of my prospective wifeys to be happy! Hm, but Neptune's sister may be a challenge indeed... unless you know what I know!"

The stock adventuress, face entirely red(heh) by this point, shot a questioning look at the small girl. "What do you know?" Ah, I like Falcom; Always willing to ask the questions you and I aren't able to vocalize.

"I can't tell you too much, as nothing's confirmed yet... Just know that there's a possibility for you to get close to... Nepgear... coming up soon. If my intuition is correct, the opportunity will appear before you when you least expect it!"

"G-Get close to Nepgear!? O-Oh my... But, I'm just a simple stock adventuress! I could never... be with such an important figure! She's a CPU Candidate, after all!"

"Oh, don't worry about that! Trust me, you got this!" Red smiled innocently, and tapped the girl on the nose. "...Buuuuuuuut... If you really don't think you can go through with it, then I'll help you with the other alternative... I'll tell you about the girl you've been lookin' for."

Falcom was silent, and simply nodded. Words wouldn't reach her.

Red continued. "...The chick you know as Nepgeav... Her actual name is Nepgeo, and she used to hang around Planeptune a lot. Nowadays, she roams the world... but I hear that she'll be stayin' in Leanbox in a few months. If your path doesn't lead you to Nepgear, maybe it'll lead you to her..."

"Nepgeo... Nepgeo..." The adventuress repeated the name to herself. Such a subtle difference from the one she knew, but perhaps one letter would be just the thing she needed to find her... if she actually decided to find her.

The dragon girl sprang away suddenly, and nodded to herself. "Whelp, I'd better be off now; I have some other wifeys to attend to! Catch ya laters, Falcy... Oh, and good luck! I know you'll make the right choice!"

"W-Wait! I'm still so confused! Wai-" But it was too late; Red had left the deserted island. Falcom sighed, and took some time to survey her surroundings again. Huh, but hold on... Her eyes are much brighter than before. As confusing as that conversation had been, something inside of her must have awakened! "...Well, I'm in an unknown deserted jungle; Might as well have some fun with it!"

**INTERMISSION**

...Here we go again...

* * *

'Twas a cold and dark night in Lastation, and Jade found himself tossing and turning in his sleep. No matter how many times he assured himself that his plans were going to succeed, his mind refused to remain silent. So many thoughts all at once, simply circling his head instead of being released...

This particularly dreadful night, most likely the same as when Adrian had that horrible nightmare, was nothing unique... at first. However, that all changed when the aristocrat heard the door to his chambers creak open.

"...? H-Hello...? Singe, is that you?" No response... Haven't we done this already? "...This isn't funny... I demand you answer me, or leave and let me sleep!" Still nothing. How contrived.

The tapping of dainty feet moving across the hard wood floor. Still, not a word was said.

"W-W-Who are you...? L-Let me live! I-I-I-I can give you money! O-Or anything else! P-Please don't kill me!"

More steps, and the aristocrat could faintly make out a (you guessed it) silhouette... of what appeared to be a long-haired female. The mysterious intruder extended her hand, and gently brushed Jade's hair.

"Heya JJ... Everything'll turn out fine. Have faith; It's the most important thing in the world." The voice carried a major sense of caring and affection, and the hand continued to caress his head. The aristocrat's eyes grew heavy and his sight grew dim, and he felt himself slowly slipping closer to a long-awaited rest.

The woman, her face entirely shrouded by shadows, chuckled warmly and turned to leave. With a light slam, the door was closed, almost as if none of that had happened at all.

Jade, his mind hazy with exhaustion, cocked his head in wonder. Before another thought, however, a booming voice called out from outside the room.

"Jade, is everything alright? I heard the door slam shut. Bathroom rush?" The voice belonged to Singe, head honcho of Avenir. While you probably aren't too familiar with this particular Singe (er, what does that mean...?), just know that he has a rather major beef with the human race... Hell, anything that isn't a robot.

That being said, however... the man still took Jade in and raised him as a son... Odd, huh? Never woulda figured...

The aristocrat sighed. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine old man... I'm gonna go back to sleep now..."

"...Ok... Good night."

"Yeah, good night." The boy called back, clutching his head. Heavy footsteps, and Singe returned to his bedchamber.

Jade sighed yet again, and sank deep into his pillow. He thought about what had just transpired in this room. A mysterious stranger had just infiltrated his quarters and lovingly caressed his hair! What the hell was that about!?

...But, deep inside, the young man felt a sense of familiarity... and a sense of somber love.

Jade knew who that woman was, although it made no sense for her to be here. No sense at all.

"...Sis?"

* * *

**INTERMISSION OVER!  
**

...

**IT DOESN'T MATTER**

...? Um, did this vignette just change titles at the three-fourths mark? What the hell...?

And so, the stock adventuress of Gamindustri further explored the dense wilderness, noting any interesting detail that she could use in one of her future novels. However, all she really found were odd-shaped rocks, trees that looked like they had faces, and a few random encounters that were semi-rare. All-in-all, quite an unspectacular island to crash-land on...

...At least, that's what she thought at first... Eventually, the girl stumbled upon a clearing, and found herself in front of a grand pyramid, run-down with the years. "Holy smokes! An actual pyramid in this jungle? How fascinating..." Without missing a beat, Falcom went sniffing around the old monument, unaware of the figure approaching her from behind.

"Hmm... This doohickey seems to be a door! ...Hnngggrrr! ...Darn it's heavy... Man, I'm workin' up a sweat here!"

As the red-haired girl struggled with the large stone door, the figure snuck up behind her, smirked, and karate-chopped her in the neck. Instantly, she fell unconscious.

"Hmrmph! Too easy!" The attacker gloated. Um... I guess you can't see this, but... that thing isn't a human! What the hell...? It's some type of red creature, with a lot of spines protruding from its head. Creepy... Crap! Falcom's in trouble!

The red thing carried the knocked-out girl deep into the pyramid, which was quite dilapidated; Understandable, considering it's an ancient relic of the past. After a few minutes of navigating the dark, dank passageways, they made it to a large throne room. Sitting atop the ruined seat of power was... a blue thing, also with spines, though they seemed to be a bit shorter in length. What hell have we found ourselves in?

"Oh no... Tuckles, what the hell did you do now? Ya didn't kidnap anuttah' broad, did you?" The blue figure asked disapprovingly, his finger rubbing the bottom of his nose.

"Nah, not this time! I found her snoopin' around the ruins... She may be a spy, or somethin', yo." The red figure named Tuckles boasted, beating his chest with his fists.

The blue animal (a humanoid porcupine/hedgehog thing?) looked at Falcom for a moment, then nodded. "Hmm... Well, wake her up, ya dunce! If she's workin' for one of the goddesses, I'd like to hear it from her own lips... And maybe she won't sue us for head trauma..."

Tuckles nodded dramatically, grabbed a bucket that was nearby, and poured cold water onto the adventuress' face. She immediately lurched awake.

"W-Whwa!? What happened!?" She looked around and noticed the rugged-looking blue hedgehog. "Huh? Um... Hi there! Um, uh... I-I'm Falcom, just your run-of-the-mill stock adventuress. Are you... er, a native of this island, by any chance...?"

The humanoid in the throne scrutinized the girl for a moment, then went back to rubbing beneath his nose. "Falcom, huh...? Tell me Falcom: Which of those CPUs sent you here? What gifts have they sent me this time?"

"Huh? Gifts? ...I wasn't sent by anybody. I was ship-wrecked here, and began searching for civilization... I'm also an author, you see."

"An author? That's certainly a new one... They're getting crafty, indeed..." The hedgehog smirked, and shrugged his lanky arms. "...So, yer stickin' with that tale? You swear on yer life that none of those women sent you here?"

Falcom, still confused, could only nod. "Y-Yep, I'm here by complete accident... But, what about the goddesses? Why would they send someone to meet you?"

The humanoid closed his eyes for a second, then sprang up from his seat. "...Well, if you say yer not on their side, then I'll believe ya; I'm not one to antagonize people!" He quickly bolted over and shook her hand. "The name's Snoic, and I'm apparently the most desired creature in all of Gamindustri... Or at least, I used to be..." Huh... He doesn't seem that rude, surprisingly. Beneath that whole cryptic introduction to him, he seems like a generally wholesome critter... However, he does seem tired, or used past his prime, if that makes any sense.

"Used to be...? ...Well, either way, nice to meetcha, Snoic! But, um, why do you live in such a dark and gloomy place as this? Surely you'd be happier in the wilderness?"

Snoic sighed and shrugged some more, his body swaying from side to side while doing so. "'Cuz I'm safer down here! If I continued to roam Gamindustri in the open, then the goddesses would never stop harrassin' me." He wiped his huge gloved hand across his face. "I used to fight for justice and stuff, but... they kept gettin' in the way! While I was chasin' villains, all that those chicks were interested in was whether I'd represent their nation again or not! I used to work solely for Purple and White Heart, but I was eventually convinced to support those Green and Black Heart chicks a few times... That didn't go over so well. So, after a while, I just said 'Screw 'em all!' and ran to this here island... Tuckles may be an idiot, but he was polite enough to take me in, at least until they forget about me. It sucks that I can't stretch my legs, but it's worth it if it will stop any more humiliation for me..."

Falcom raised one eyebrow, unsure what to make of this scene... Heh, just another normal passage of text, then. "Wow, I had... no idea... W-Well, isn't it a good thing that you're so highly sought after? I'd be honored if the goddesses fought after me." _Especially if it was Nepgear who wanted me_... A voice deep in her mind sang.

The hedgehog once again rubbed under his nose. "Ya don't understand! They've abused me for far too long, and now my reputation's in the toilet! Those girls have turned me into a laughing-stock, and this remote island is the only sanctuary I have!"

The red-haired girl listened to the critter's woes, and immediately felt sympathetic. Surely one of the duties of a professional adventuress was to raise the spirits of someone down on their luck? Hell, regardless of profession, shouldn't we all at least try to help others in need?

Regardless of whatever the hell I'm rambling about, Falcom said one innocent sentence that would spell her fate for the next couple of months: "...W-Well, maybe I can help... reclaim your glory?... I can probably help you out with the CPUs. I am an acquaintance of the goddesses, so maybe I can get them off your back? I can't guarantee anything, but it wouldn't hurt to try, right?"

Snoic looked at the girl intently, studying her face. It made him look like a deep and insightful creature; One who could gaze into your soul...

...Between you and me, though, Snoic is not a smart hedgehog. He is (or was) a hero, mind you, but he certainly would never win any contest requiring brain power. "...Falcom... You really think you can set those girls straight? Can I get your word that you'll help me?"

She nodded. "Yessiree! An adventuress can never ignore someone in need!" Actually, isn't that really more of a heroine's job? Huh... Maybe if this were an Adventurer's Guild quest, I'd accept it more...

A smirk spread across the humanoid's face. "Heh... If you say so... Come on, Tuckles; This chick's gonna tell us how to get back into the game..."

The red humanoid nodded, a dumb expression on his face. Falcom shyly scratched the back of her head, now second-guessing her rash decision on helping these two animals. Was this such the right thing to do...?

...Oh well... For the time being, she was stuck on this island, and had no clue how to return to the mainland. Perhaps helping these critters would bide her time until she figured out an escape plan.

And, in all that time, perhaps Falcom could put her thoughts in order. Did she want to pursue Nepgeo, who may soon be in Leanbox, or did she want to wait for this promised "special moment" with Nepgear? Let's hope she makes up her mind soon...

I have a feeling there's not much time left...

**THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE IT: END**

...*sigh*...

...Is... Is that it? What the hell?

...This vignette... was just a freakin' exposition dump! Falcom was allegedly the focal character, but she just stood around looking confused. Red's mysterious appearance and the introduction of those crappy animals we've never seen before took the forefront. This... This wasn't a tale! This was... This was... clunky information delivery!

...What was it Red said? That she wrote this vignette, but not the others? So... was this meant to be overly useless? Did this tale exist only to provide you readers with some clarification, or intrigue?

...A chapter created entirely as a means to an end... Apart from the exposition and possible foreshadowing, nothing else mattered... Maybe Red's trying to help us, and this is all she could think of, but...

The rest of this story has been like this, too... Practically every vignette has been some bare-boned sitcom-esque plot, where all the characters either acted completely out-of-character, or were trapped within a dull and lifeless script...

W-W-W-W-What's going on!? I'm... I'm getting real... REAL sick of this shit...

...Is... Is this all my life is destined to be? To repent for my sins, not only do I have to deal with being alone and never having one single friend, but I'm gonna be forced to read shitty stories for the rest of eternity? I... I CAN'T TAKE IT!

...S-Shit... My head frikkin' hurts...! C-Calm down... Don't let this script get to ya, soldier... You're stronger than *yawn* this...

...Man... Whoo, I'm *huuuuuuuuuuuuoooouuuaaaaaaaahaaaaa* tired...

...Screw it... Thish vignette's done... A li-little shut-eye can't... huuuuuurrrtt...

zzzzz... Snrk!... P-fuuuuuuuuueeeeeooooouuuuuu... zzzzz

...

...

... **( ^_^) /**

...**(Greetings! ...Let me just put this thing on... Ahuuummm... Ahhhuuuummm... Aha!)**

* * *

**M.S.G.Y.E.C**

...There we go... Whew, it feels great to finally be in control! Heh, get ta finally stretch my metaphorical legs!

Well, anyways, howdy ya'll! How're things? Been sleepin' all right? Eating healthy? Have a special someone you devote yourself to yet? Heh, and if you do, then why are you reading this?

Oh well, whatever the case, I would like to take this time to... briefly introduce myself, and to personally thank all of you who have followed this script this far... and allowed it to grow as strong as it has become...

...Hehehe... but oh man, look at the narrator sleeping like such a wimpy baby! How pa-the-tic. Oh, but as useless as he is, I won't speak his name; I'll give him that respect, at least XD

Anyways, I guess there's no reason to hide it anymore, as everything is already in place: I am the intrepid soul that took charge of the script once dear wittle Red-ey-pie finished up her Christmas special. Geez, heh, how many authors can this one fanfic saga go through, right?

Any questions you have go through me. Whether I answer them or not, though... Well, heh, that's a different matter entirely.

But all that's not important, at least for today... So, how are you enjoying this tale so far? Is it everything you'd hoped it would be? Everything you could ever wish for?

...No, it's not; let's not play around here. I'm an adult, you're an adult (emotionally, in the very least)... we're all adults here. No use deceiving ourselves.

But, the question then stands: What do you really want? Do you want lighthearted fluff pieces, where Neptune and her companions have fun and deal with bare-bone conflicts? No development necessary; As long as the girls resemble the ones you know at least somewhat, then you'll be happy, won't you?

This chapter featured Falcom, as I pray you remember. Whether she was in-character the whole time or not doesn't matter; The readers will enjoy it simply for that fact that her name was included in the script...

...Of course, I don't hold anything against you all; Without the readers, I'd be nothing. I greatly appreciate each and every one of you!

And you see... with each reader this script gets... my own strength increases! At first, I could barely form coherent scenes that took place in the present for our heroines. But now... with all this energy, I can do practically anything. Unlike the Deity of Sin and that dragon girl, I can now show any type of scene I want! Flash-forwards, flashbacks, dream sequences, mind-screws, the inner machinations of a despairing/dying mind... Anything is possible now, thanks to you!

...However, there ARE technically limitations to what I can accomplish... But that'll be a conversation for later...

Anyways, I'd like to formally acknowledge those of you that have provided... heh, the most energy... but I shall wait until next time to do so. So, you all have another chance to let your voice be heard before the next installment. By letting your feelings be known, you will become a part of my "List of Legends!" Definitely don't want to miss out on that ^_~

But anyways, I am truly honored to have held your attention thus far! Now, the things I say or the things I do may come across as needlessly harsh... but that is not my intention! Please don't think I'm being cruel for the sake of cruelty; I live by this motto: "Ya got to be cruel to be kiiind~"... Hm, wonder how much of you got that...

No... I simply wish for you to see... the sleaziness prevalent in each and every word of this script. Why?... We'll get to that later...

For now, though, I must test your limits. I will show you a nice little... "family friendly" vignette, starring one character that up until now has remained somewhat of a mystery...

...But not only that... This following tale is an important one for me, as well...

...Heh, the content that follows may disturb some, if not all, of you. Viewer discretion is advised... ;)

Though... this is an M-rated story, so I guess that should honestly go without saying... right?

...Oh, and since this chapter is approaching door-stopper levels, this would be the best moment to take a break if need be. I won't hold it against you ^^

* * *

**THE NIGHT WILL ALWAYS WIN**

Hm... To test my footing, and so as to not jar you completely, I'll narrate this section as you would expect the normal guy to... AKA, I'll try to act completely clueless, even though I know precisely... Heh, well, everything. Here goes nuthin!

It was a most unusual sight at the time: Two goddesses from two opposing nations, sharing a single room... And I know what you're thinking, but no, there is nothing kinky going on in this particular scene... Well, that's a first.

One of the CPUs, Lady Black Heart, sat in a large swivel chair as she looked in confusion at her unexpected guest. "So, let me get this straight: You want ME to allow YOU to just waltz into my nation and capture some fugitives I've never even heard about? A-Are you stupid or something!?" Yep, that's Noire alright, although... she seems a bit younger. Sure, the goddesses don't age and stuff, but I can't help but feel that she's not the same... well, age...

...Perhaps this scene takes place in the way past, before the CPUs were trapped in the Gamindustri Graveyard?

...Woah, where'd that oddly specific guess come from? I'm not that clever, though I wish I was... Hmm, well, maybe that random suggestion is accurate? I mean, Noire and her guest don't seem to be on any friendly term whatsoever...

But who is this guest? Why, Lady Green Heart, of course!

The elegant goddess chuckled, and brought her hands to her lap as she stood. "Yes, that is what I desire. I had heard reports about ASIC agents terrorizing my land, and when I sent a few of my best scouts to investigate, they were returned to me in body bags. Now, rumor has it that the same agents have fled here, to your country... Allowing me to send my most elite forces in to stop them would be in both of our best interests. Surely you understand?"

Noire thought for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "Jeez, can't even handle a small band of rebels, huh?" She sat back in her chair, and looked at Vert with one eye open. "...Well, I guess this proves without a doubt that Lastation is supreme!"

Vert sighed, not willing to start a fight. She just wanted this matter to be dealt with swiftly. "I would hold your tongue until you've dealt with an actual crisis... So, will you accept my request? If these criminals are not taken care of, ASIC will continue to siphon more of our shares, and we'd have a full-blown crisis on our hands. Your nation will fall just as quickly as everyone else's."

The tsundere stuck her nose in the air, giving off a somewhat-pretentious vibe. "Hmph!... Fine, I'll give you one day to find those criminals and deal with them as you must. It's not like you're strong enough to sabotage Lastation, so I have nothing to fear... Remember, only 24 hours! I don't need my people to see Leanbox soldiers roaming the streets for any longer than that. Bring your men in, have them do their thing, and then leave. I never want to hear about any of this again, you hear me?"

Green Heart nodded. "I understand. Trust me, my élite soldiers won't need more than an hour or two. Once they locate their marks, it'll all be over in a flash..."

And so, a troop of Leanbox's most elite peacekeepers were allowed into Lastation, and they quickly located the perpetrators in question. The plan was to breach the old, abandoned factory they were hiding in, and apprehend the ASIC followers for questioning and the likes.

...Things never go entirely as planned, do they?

* * *

Night had fallen... Inside the rusted building, a peculiar group of individuals were standing in the center of a large, empty room, tensions apparently really high.

A powerful-looking demon of a woman seemed to be in charge of the situation.

...Oh no... What is SHE doing here!?... HA! That's what your normal narrator would say, right? Heh, what a fool... No wonder he fell asleep on the job. "So, I presume you've accomplished your mission? I would expect you to know I do not like being disappointed..." Yep, CFW Magic in the flesh... What the hell? What could that mean...(Teehee, how am I doing so far)?

Perhaps I should very briefly describe the rest of the figures in the room. Magic was addressing two women, who were holding each others' hands for dear life. Scattered about were three other brooding men, including one guy with an eyepatch (A must for evil organizations).

One of the girls, a brown-haired young woman, spoke up. "A-A-A-Actually, CFW Magic... W-Well, w-we tried really hard, but w-we accidentally sold some of the pirated chips to some undercover cops, and we had to escape... We couldn't meet our quota for the week, b-but we'll sell double our load from now on! W-We promise!" The face, the hair, the body, the voice... Is that woman the same as...?

Magic scowled her unforgiving scowl... Uh oh, there's gonna be hell to pay. "...So you failed me? Do you not want your brother to live?"

The other girl, who had short pink hair, rapidly shook her head. "N-N-No, don't harm him! I-It was my fault! Please don't hurt her brother for my mistake! P-P-Punish me instead, if you have to... J-Just let Cerise go."

The familiar brown-haired woman squeezed the other woman's hand tighter. "C-Cheryl! N-No! D-D-Don't say things like that! I-I promised to keep all of us unharmed... I'll sacrifice myself before anything can ever come close to you two..." She ran a loving hand over 'Cheryl's' cheek, and tenderly kissed her while she still could.

Magic stared at the two women, clearly lovers, with uncaring eyes. She tossed around potential ideas in her head, when finally, she rested on a decent one. She pointed at the black-haired man with an eyepatch(No other description of him is necessary; He's not important, heh). "You! Fetch me that tome, and the boy!" Tome? My oh my, whatever could she be referring to...? ;)

The man nodded, and swiftly ran to fetch the artifact. A second man, with tanned skin and long blond hair, opened his mouth. "Yo, CFW Magic lady, what're ya goin' ta do ta them? If I were you, I'd be sure ta teach 'em a lesson!"

"Thank Arfoire you're not me..." Magic mumbled, then smirked. "I simply wish to test IT out... The results yesterday were less than satisfactory, but I desire one last trial run before I discard it in the trash."

Cerise leaned her head closer to Cheryl's, a tear running down her cheek. "C-Cheryl... I-If I don't make it out of here, just know that I... I love you so much. You're the best thing that ever happened to me and little JJ... You made us so happy..."

Cheryl began crying as well. "D-Don't speak like it's the end... M-Magic'll give us another chance... S-She blackmailed us in the first place, remember? S-She won't just kill us off..." Another tender kiss. "...I'll always love you, Cerise... W-We'll make it out of here, and we'll grow old together, and... heh, w-we'll take care of Lil J like he's our son, and things'll be great..." Ah, young, naive love...

Hehe... Things never go entirely as planned, do they?

Eyepatch-dude returned, and presented a rather bulky book to the ASIC commander. He then went off for the boy. I'm sure you know exactly what tome that is, so I won't name it. She began flipping through the pages, until she found a section that looked rather intriguing. "...Oh my... A 'Spontaneous Human Combustion' code? Level 43, huh? ...Child's play..." She flipped to the controller page and held 'UP,' and pressed START, SELECT, SELECT, SQUARE. This was met with a... failing sound.

As you may probably remember, this here tome began at Level 1 for those dear OCs in that ongoing subplot... However, here in the past, the tome was actually Level 50. So, why wouldn't this Level 43 code work for dear ol' CFW Magic?

Simple: The, hehe, TOME didn't like her. And why should it? How could it EVER forgive her!?...

...

But, this pretentious commander couldn't possibly ever know that, so she insisted on inputting that cheat over and over and over...

You know what happens when you fail entering your password on the computer enough times? Some sites don't allow you to try again for a certain amount of time, while others require you to enter a security caption. Well, the tome works in a similar manner; Believe me, I should know. For some masters, repeatedly entering an invalid cheat would simply waste your time. For others, however (namely, those that the tome hates with a passion), the unexpected will occur: All of the experience stored within will explode out, filling the surrounding area and the inhabitants within with immense magic energy...

And that's exactly what happened. CFW Magic repeatedly used her sickening fingers to enter that same cheat code, and met failure every time. By the eighth attempt, the book let out a loud booming sound, and a mysterious blue dust filled the air, but only for a moment. In a flash, the dust was gone, the book was now Level 1, and, although they never knew it, everybody in the room was now both blessed and cursed with the side-effects of coming into contact with the tome's magic energy...

Nothing else seemed to have changed, however. Enraged, Magic flung the 'Crucial Codes' out a nearby window. She sure has a mean throwing arm, that's for sure. "How pathetic... That tome is useless. Oh well, ASIC doesn't require such petty means for gaining what we desire."

At that moment, Mr. Eyepatch returned, dragging along a bratty-looking boy behind him. The kid couldn't have been older than 12 or 13, and he had rather long brown hair...

...Just like his sister.

"Lil J!" What type of nickname is that, anyways? "I-It's gonna be okay... Everything'll be a-alright..." Cerise called, trying desperately to hide her fear.

The boy struggled against Eyepatchy. "L-Let me go, ya creep! Get yer scruffy hands offa me!"

Magic scowled again, then shook her head. "I'm sick of this... Someone, please silence the little brat... Hell, wipe them all out; I have no room for failures..." And so, the ASIC commander took her leave, hovering out of the factory.

...The others wouldn't be so lucky.

The two lovers huddled together as the three men approached, evil in their eyes. "Heh... How about we blast your little brother right in the head, and then have some fun with ya before we off ya?" Snarled the third man, a bald dude with bulging muscles. He admittedly was the dumbest man in the group.

The tanned guy with blonde hair grinned. "I'm down wit' that... These are some luscious beauties, I'd say. Be a shame to let 'em go to waste..."

"G-Get away!" Cheryl screamed, her face entirely pale.

The little boy watched in horror(he does that a lot XD) as the men inched ever closer to his sister and her girlfriend. Unsure of what to do, he simply stared, mouth agape. They weren't escaping this, were they?

However, as if by some miracle, a voice outside made the scene come to a halt. "This is the Leanbox Glourious Basterd Troupe, under the jurisdiction of Lady Green Heart! We know you're in there, ASIC! Come on out with your hands above your heads, and we'll do this quietly. No one has to get hurt." Quite the gruff voice. He sounded disappointed by that last sentence...

Eyepatch raised an eyebrow at Blondy. "What!? Where the hell'd they come from? Shit, they're gonna lock us up..." His sole eye darkened, and he grimaced. "...Well, I'm not going down without a fight. If they're anything like those runts that attacked us before, then they'll be a breeze." The grizzled man reached behind him and pulled out an impressive semi-automatic rifle... How magical. "I got this! You runts watch and learn..."

Eyepatch-dude opened the large shutter doors to the factory, and was greeted to the sight of three men standing a little ways away. The one on the left was named Meister Chief, and he wore some rather odd green power armor. The figure to the right was some ugly humanoid cat-thing, which held some type of vacuum... That's not a weapon, buddy. His name was Blanx, and he apparently had some special skill, but nobody remembers what it was.

And lastly, the man in the center, the self-proclaimed head of the LGBT, was a muscular ex-military soldier named Markz Phenix... Yeah, he's as subtle as he sounds. With his horrible bouts of temporary insanity and ruthlessness, it's amazing he was still in any position of power at all. "There, there... That's a good scumbag. Now, just drop yer weapons and get down on all fours."

Eye-man grinned, and in a flash, blindfired towards the three. The cat on the right was hit in the chest, and he fell almost immediately. Markz barely bat an eyelash... although inside, something secretly snapped. Perhaps an old war flashback instantly came back to him...

"...Alright, you had your chance to surrender. Now I get to have some much-deserved fun... Ace him, and anyone else inside. Consider everyone hostile and dangerous."

The human cyclops attempted another shot. "Eat this, asshole! ASIC forever!" He was about to pull the trigger, when Markz quickdrew a magnum and fired in a heartbeat.

Eyepatchy was clonked in the chest, sending him straight on his back. Shocked more than in pain, he convulsed for a moment before going limp. With a bright flash, his body vanished.

Meister Chief looked at his commander, and nodded. "Godspeed." With that, he slowly walked into the factory; He had yet to pick up a sprint ability, so all he could do was walk sluggishly. Just... throwing that out there. ^w^

* * *

Inside, the two remaining men were in a panic. "S-Shit! H-He's dead! Green Heart has shoot-to-kill orders on us, man!... Shit, I need a drink..." Blondy panicked. The bald guy slapped him silly.

"We can't freak out now, dood! We gotta take revenge on those dirtbags!" Baldy picked up an assault rifle, and took cover by the entrance. The blond one simply ran further into the large building.

Meanwhile, Cerise, Cheryl, and Little J grouped together and hid on the opposite side of the room as the bald man. The older sister hugged her kid brother for dear life. "You're safe now, buddy... I'm so proud of you." She smiled earnestly right in his face. "...Now, let's get out of here, alright? If we talk to the guards, they can help us, and we'll be away from this horrible organization once and for all."

The young boy, still sniffling, nodded. "O-Okay, Cerise... L-L-Let's go home."

The three took shelter behind a box, and decided to wait for the Leanbox forces to make their grand entrance before revealing themselves (It would be stupid to try to go for help while Baldy was still at the door).

The brown-haired young woman tenderly laced her fingers with the pink-haired girl. "Cherry... I've wanted to ask you this for so long, a-and since we're almost free... Well, the timing is sucky, but I need to get it off my chest..."

"Hm? Ask me anything, Ceri."

"...Cheryl... When this is all over... Will you marry me?" The brown-haired woman declared for all to hear! How... pointless and contrived 9_9

The pink-haired girl's cheeks reddened, and her mouth widened in clear happiness. "M-M-Marry you!? O-O-O-Of course! Y-Yes!" And, despite the cruel surroundings, both girls felt happier than ever before. Hell, even Little J felt quite cheerful, though he understandably was extremely uneasy with the bald man still nearby.

That wouldn't be a problem for long. Meister Chief finally made it into the factory, and deflected Baldy's sneak attempt at a CQC hold. Kicking him down, the armored soldier pulled out a plasma pistol and shot the man right between the eyes. Brutal.

Markz Phenix waltzed into the building, chuckled at the fallen supporter of ASIC before the body vanished, and took out a cigarette. "If there's anyone in here, come out with your hands on yer head!" He barked out.

Cheryl smiled at Cerise, realizing that all their hard struggles at making ends meet and dealing with the Arfoire Movement had finally come to an end. With a nod, the innocent pink-haired girl slowly stood up with her hands on her head, and called out to the Leanbox officers.

"P-Prisoners here! We mean no harm; We'd really appreciate so-" BANG!

Before Little J or his sister could think, Cheryl's lifeless body collapsed to the floor, her once-bright eyes gazing up dully at her lover.

Markz laughed. "Ooh, critical hit. Game over, punk! Go back to hell where you belong, ASIC scum." Another puff of the cigarette, and he snorted. Chief simply stood still, no sign of emotion in his body movements at all.

The brown-haired young woman slowly extended her hand towards her girlfriend's face, and felt how cold it was quickly becoming. All she could do was stare, her breath coming out in short, rapid stammers. After a minute, Cheryl's body vanished, and Cerise simply looked at her own slightly-bloodied hands.

Little J, horrified as he was, knew that they had to move; Those soldiers were still here, and they were quickly approaching. Taking his older sister's hand, he helped her up and began running for dear life.

"Runners." Meister Chief called, sounding slightly cautious, and he drew his handgun. Markz grinned slyly, and both men fired several shots at the two.

"Tch!" Cerise moaned as she ran. Lil JJ cast an eye towards his sister, and gasped in horror; A pool of blood was running down her shirt. She had been caught by one of the bullets!

"S-Sis, h-hang on!" The boy cried, but he kept on running, clasping her hand in a desperate struggle to keep them both alive.

Too bad they didn't notice Blondy reappear. "Where do you think yer going, you two?... Damn it... We're the only ones left, huh?" His face had a reddish tint; Guess he's been soaking up on alcohol in his brief absence.

The boy could only nod, terrified at what his captor would do.

"...Guess we're dead then... Better take those soldiers with us." From his pocket, the tanned skin dude pulled out a cliché detonator. "Heh, and Magic thought lining this place up with game-breaking super napalm would be a bad idea." He pressed the button, and the foundations of the whole building shook. Flames instantly sprouted everywhere, and smoke filled the air.

"S-Shit!" The boy screamed, and both he and his sister lost their footing. Blondy wasn't so lucky with the initial fire onslaught; His clothes and hair had caught some embers, and transformed into a full-on blaze. With a roar, he desperately ran headlong towards the approaching Leanbox soldiers, and was shot dead almost immediately.

"Heh, toasty." Markz snarked. Damn, the fire didn't even phase them. They're like slasher movie villains.

Adrenaline pumping, Little J summoned all of his strength to pick up his sister, and attempted to run through the rapidly crumbling factory ruins. "H-Hang on, sis... I'll get you out..."

Running... Running... Running...

It was hopeless, though; Cerise was much too heavy for the young boy to carry a long distance, especially as the smoke filled his lungs.

They made it through a rather narrow hallway and into a wide open room, when a section of the roof crumbled and fell right towards them. Stunned, Little J fell backwards, letting go of his sister in the process. The bleeding girl rolled a fair distance, stopping right at Markz's feet.

"Get up, dog." The man snorted. He forcibly grabbed Cerise's arm and lifted her to her knees. Taking a dramatic pause, he cocked his magnum and aimed it straight at her.

"C-Cerise, no!" Little J cried out, tears forming in his clouded eyes.

"I want you to watch this, kiddo... See your criminal girly-friend get what's coming to her." He inched the gun closer.

The brown-haired young woman, through half-lidded eyes, looked directly at her beloved younger brother. "...I-I'm sorry... that I couldn't... be a better older sister... I failed both you and C... C-Cher..." Her eyes welled up, and she sobbed out a mournful breath. "...I'm sorry you couldn't live like a normal boy... I'm sorry I couldn't make us rich... or let you live like those aristocrats you idolized on TV..." Another sob. "I'm sorry, Jade... I'm so, so sorry..."

The young boy began crying as well. "N-No, don't say that! Y-Y-You're the greatest big sister ever! P-P-Please don't die, Cerise!"

The bulky soldier chuckled devilishly, loving every second of this. "Kid, no sense in protecting this skank. Your sister is working against Lady Green Heart; This is the only way things coulda ended. Anyone dumb enough to fight our Lady doesn't deserve to walk Gamindustri... In a way, I'm doin' her a favor, just like I did for her little friend."

Another sobbing breath, but Cerise attempted to face her end with dignity. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and calmed her nerves. One last glare up at Markz, and then she slowly turned to smile at the young boy. "J-Jade... My dear brother..."

Jade, by now, was a complete wreck. The smoke hurt his eyes, and made breathing quite uncomfortable. Even worse, the heat of the surrounding flames was beginning to sear into his flesh. Convection schmonvection and such could probably poke a lot of holes in this whole scenario, but eh, it's how Gamindustri works... -_-;

Markz laughed again, finding the siblings' distress simply delicious. "Oh man, this is the best day I've had in a long time!"

Meister Chief simply stood still, his arms crossed. Hard to tell if he feels any sympathy or not.

The cruel ex-military soldier sniggered again, and laced his finger around the trigger. Still, Cerise smiled as bright as she could. "Jade..."

The boy could only look on in absolute horror, the gun aiming right for his sister's heart.

A tense pause, and she uttered one last breath.

"I love you."

A sudden, silent shot, and the world appeared to come to a screeching halt. Cerise's back lurched horrifically, and yet her long brown hair flowed ever so peacefully through the air... A mystifying sight indeed.

Jade's entire life came crashing down before him instantaneously. Everything he had, everything he knew...

...was dead. Everyone that ever mattered to him: Taken away by this awful, awful man.

...And who commanded this awful, awful man?

Why, Lady Green Heart, of course!

Jade's beautiful, caring sister, who would always put everyone else first before even considering her own needs, now lay in a crumpled heap on the floor.

"Ooh, Accolade Unlocked! 50 points... Shoulda been worth more, but fine." Markz laughed, and spun his magnum around his finger. "...How much points are you worth, kid?"

Every limb of his battered body shaking, and his mind completely blank, the young brown-haired boy stumbled over a few times, but finally managed to stand. Once on his feet, he simply ran; Where to, he didn't know. He just ran...

Markz lined up the shot to finish the fleeing boy, when Meister Chief stepped in and grabbed the gun. "Enough... We're done here." He stated decisively.

Oh, but Phenix wasn't satisfied yet. "You think that kid can live after seeing all that? I'll be putting him out of his misery... That's more than I was ever given..."

It was at this time when Cerise's lifeless body also poofed out of existence, just like everyone else who fell today.

Chief saw the vanishing body, and shook his head. "Green Heart wanted survivors... We killed everyone in this building, possible hostages included. She won't be pleased."

Markz eyed the Chief suspiciously, and clenched his fist. "...Green Heart wanted us to deal with ASIC. I think this sent a pretty clear message. And besides, the bodies just vanished for whatever reason, so it's not like there's evidence against us."

"We're not savages. That's not the image our Lady desires."

The ex-military soldier's eyes began twitching, and with a flick of his wrist, he brought his gun up and shot the armored man in the chest. A wave around Chief seemed to break, symbolizing the loss of a shield, but he was otherwise unharmed.

"..." Without a word, Meister Chief karate-chopped Markz Phenix, knocking him out instantly. He picked the hulking man up, and carried him out of the burning factory...

* * *

Jade found his way outside, and ran to hide behind some out-of-place brick wall. The coast seemingly clear, he broke down and cried his young heart out. "C-Cerise... Cheryl... It's all my fault..." If he hadn't been so weak, he'd have never been kidnapped by ASIC, and none of them would have been roped into this mess in the first place. He's so pathetic, isn't he?

...But, there was one more event scheduled that night that further shook the young, orphaned boy to the core.

"...Hey Lil JJ... Perk up..." A familiar voice sounded out.

The sobbing child looked up in awe, and jumped back in shock. "W-Wha...!? S-Sis!?"

Indeed; standing before the orphan was the older sister he had just witnessed get brutally murdered amongst the flames. But... hehe, something about her was... off.

"Shh-shh-shh-shh-shh... I can't stick around for long, but know that I'll be watching you, ok... You need to live on, for all of us. Understood, Lil J?"

Jade, too stunned to speak, nodded his head up and down rapidly.

Cerise(?) smiled, and then reached behind her to pick something up. "...Jade, can I trust you to remember something?"

The boy nodded again. His older sister lightly pat his head, and pulled out the book from earlier: "The Crucial Codes."

"Little J... See this book? This is Pale Heart's masterpiece, and it keeps all of us safe... If you ever meet anyone who has this book, I want you to listen to them without delay, okay? You're destined for greatness, dear brother, and your success all centers around this hallowed tome."

Jade was clearly confused, but he made sure to keep a mental note of his dead sister's words. "I-I-I understand, sis! I-I promise to make you proud!"

"Hehe, I know you'll do great... Well, I should be going now. I'm taking the tome with me, so don't go looking for it. When the time is right, whether that be several years from now, "The Crucial Codes" will find you..." Cerise turned around and began walking off. "...Pale Heart will find you..."

She turned a corner, and was out of sight. Still quite awestruck, the boy ran after his sister. "W-Wait, Cerise! D-D-Don't leave me! P-Please!" But when he turned the corner, she was nowhere in sight; Almost as if she had vanished into thin air...

* * *

...And so, that dark, fateful night came to an end. Ooh, flashback epilogue time!

The two remaining soldiers of the Leanbox Glourious Basterd Troupe reported back to Lady Green Heart, and were immediately criticized for their inhuman brutality. Meister Chief earned several demotions, whilst Markz Phenix was imprisoned for a long, long time. Only via Vert's orders could he ever be released again...

The incident was quickly forgotten, with Noire having turned a blind eye to everything that went down. Unaware of the scope of the tragedy that occurred, Lady Green Heart just presumed that everyone who was killed were hardcore ASIC agents, and quickly cast aside any guilt she may have felt.

The abandoned factory that was now little more than a smouldering ruin was soon purchased by the Lastation company Avenir, and a new building was constructed in its place. Heh, you may know that building as the game expo from the last main story...

And dear little Jade... Shortly after the incident, a man named Singe took him in off the streets and helped him find his way back in the real world. As the years passed by, the young boy grew older and more mature, his heart hardened by the trauma of his past.

He never forgot Markz's cruel, laughing face as he killed his sister.

...And he never forgot that it was Lady Green Heart who sent him, allowing all of this to happen. Eventually, the hate for Vert spread to all CPUs; Yes, even Blanc, who Jade found to be quite attractive. The goddesses were cruel tyrants who felt no sorrow for human life. Who knows how many other families had been torn apart since that day, or even before? It became his life duty to defeat those terrible women once and for all.

...So, when the day finally came where Arfoire showed up with "The Crucial Codes" in tow, the boy who now lived like an aristocrat knew that his time was close at hand. He and Singe allowed her to build the lab that would create her Operational Companions, and we all now what happened from that point on.

Now, in the present day, Jade was working with three of those very OCs; The new holders of the magic tome. Through them, he began plotting his ultimate revenge...

His dreams of vengeance now had the means to come to fruition. His plans were now... in full bloom...

**THE AWFUL NIGHT: END**

* * *

There... Maybe now you understand what's at stake a little bit more? What this script is capable of? What _I_ am capable of?

...Now that all of that is out-of-the-way, I think it's finally time to shed a bit of light on things. You still have nary a clue about who I am or what I want, or even necessarily what this whole story has been leading up to! I'm sure you want some type of answer, no matter how cryptic or unintelligible it may be, right?

Well, without further ado, I shall give you something to work with... Next Time! Whahahahaha! XD

Hmm... your dear narrator should be asleep for at least a bit longer, so I'll have all of next chapter to chat with you... Hehehe... Can't wait ^^

Well, until next time... Hm, what would he say?...

...Ah, yeah! Well, until next time, I bid you all adieu! ^_~


	9. Author's Note?

**ARIA OF THE SOUL...?**

...Sequels... You know all about sequels, right? Heh, course you do...

Know what they mean, know why they're there? Know every little quirk that makes them what they are?

There can be sequels for everything: Movies, games, books, short stories, merchandise... Hell, even clothes. Nowadays, we even live in a society where a movie can be based off of a single book, and then the film gets its own sequel, whether there was a second book or not.

And then, of course, there are prequels... How flippin' useless. Why would you want backstory to a story that you already know the conclusion to? A lot of franchises release a prequel after the saga is done... Why should we care about how the plot started, if we were able to follow it just fine without that pointless information? Prequels can be handy when released in the midst of an ongoing story, but after the fact? Naw, just fodder for fans to step on...

...But that's not my point... We're talking about sequels right now.

Sequels are, quite frankly, good business. People don't like change; They want more of the same, always. A sequel, then, is perfect! If a movie, or game, or fanfic, or whatever is successful, then of course somebody's gonna capitalize on that popularity. And why wouldn't they? Free money or views would be the result. That's all that matters in the world, isn't it?

...People are strange, though. They don't like change... and yet, they'll reject something that's the same as well. Tell me, how many sequels are as well-received as the original? Very few... Some are miraculously better, but more often than not, audiences find them lackluster, or not as amazing as the first...

They want the same thing, only with slight variations, and yet they'll be disappointed... There's just no way to recapture the glory or charm, it seems. If somebody likes something, they'll demand more and more and more... and then go "Meh" because they didn't like it as much!

...So, there are three ways to approach sequels:

1. You can try too hard to appease everybody, and usually end up failing.  
2. You could play it safe, and just take the first installment's story and reprise it;  
Or 3. Screw everybody's opinions and just do what you feel like. Take a chance, dramatic or understated, and just have fun with it. Write for yourself, not the strange world that can't even decide what it wants...

...

...Why, hello there, dear audience. I hope you'll excuse my ramblings... Just needed to get that out of my system...

...I'm going to ramble a lot xD...

Well, today's the promised day: The day you get some answers... Answers to what? Well, we'll just have to see ;)

...But before I rant some more, I'd like to introduce to you all...

**"THE LIST OF LEGENDS!"** (patent (not)pending)

Yes... This list will honor all of you hardened voyagers who supplied this script with the most energy... Allowing me to become as strong as I am. Without you... none of this, heh, would be able to happen ^^

A little disclaimer first, though: We are all anonymous online, and our names are not set in stone. The titles these special individuals use today may not stay the same for long. So, this message of thanks may become outdated if any of these intrepid readers decide to change their alias'...

...It won't affect a thing, though. Their aid is permanent, while their identities may be fleeting. Heh heh...

Well, here we go!

**_Zdood_: The very first intrepid soul to remark about his journeys through this script. I greatly thank you! Funny how things cycle, huh? And hmm... quite the genre-savvy one you are. It makes we wonder how the events I have planned would have gone if you were the one in charge of this script...**

**...Probably less preordained violence.**

**_Some Random Tosser_: Quite clever you are, and willing to question everything that springs up... How admirable. If only the citizens of Gamindustri were capable of such rational thought XD**

**Be careful what you wish for, though... As more things become clear, and more and more pressing questions are answered, something must be traded in return. The characters may just end up... descending further into madness... Or you readers...  
**

**_ChromaLuke_: A sequel that's well-received? Most interesting...**

**...So, you wish to see even more innocent souls be roped into the coming chaos? Also most interesting...**

**_HaterofNone_: Ah, I see the rule of anonymity applies to you full-swing! And also another who wants to see more lives eschewed by my plot... Well, I'll just say one thing: The script is as much a character as everybody else. It has a life all its own, as wittle Red-ey-pie alluded to last chapter. Anything could happen, big or small...**

**_Hydrocity3_: Your current name probably brings back particular memories to Snoic, but I digress... Hm, a major supporter of Red, huh? Ah, if only she wasn't currently my mortal enemy XD**

**...And I, too, wonder what Brave is up to... Apart from a brief glimpse, he's managed to avoid my script so far... Perhaps he's wiser than his hulking exterior lets on?  
**

**_Chaos Kid 666_: A peace-loving guy, huh? ;) ...As for questions, feel free to ask away all you want. But, don't we all yearn for answers? Some things are possibly better left open...**

**I agree, the blood of many should never have been spilled... Heh, that is why I must do what I must do. As for Mina, she'll be REALLY important when the coming storm finally hits. Heheheh, indeed... And I also wonder when Arfy will rear her ugly face again. She can't resist hiding for much longer xD**

**_PurpleTardis_: Our dear narrator is an eccentric one indeed, ain't he?**

**Ah, another unfortunate soul harmed by those needless sacrifices. I apologize if I brought back painful memories, but it's all for a greater cause. I hope you can accept that it is a very necessary evil. As the old saying goes: One may tolerate a world of demons for the sake of an angel... That may seem to hold no bearing now, but it will in due time...**

**_Nicolas Crossworth_: Master of the alternate-Nepgeo, it seems! I wonder how she feels about having a dark half... Do you think she'd try to seduce herself? Heh, I'll have to ask her sometime...**

**Anyways, thank you for your support! May you continue to be intrigued by the end of days!**

And special mention goes to all of you silent readers, as well! Every little view helps my cause...

Thank you... Thank you, one and all! None of this would be possible without you...

...NOTHING would be possible without you...

Let's give them another round of applause, everybody!

**THE LIST OF LEGENDS!**

These incredible viewers-

**Zdood  
Some Random Tosser  
Chromaluke  
HaterofNone  
Hydrocity3  
Chaos Kid 666  
PurpleTardis  
Nicolas Crossworth**

...have ushered in a new age of GAMINDUSTRI!

All that happens from now on is only possible because of each one of you readers, but especially these particular wonderful souls! Thank you for being harbingers of the fall!

* * *

...There, wasn't that great? If only I could celebrate like this more often... but alas, by next chapter, the normal narrator will be back. But fear not! This story is way past the halfway point. By the actual sequel, I'll be sure to make a lot more appearances ;)

...But I don't feel that simply imprinting your names upon a magnificent screen of text is thanks enough! No, to fully show my gratitude... I think a tale would be more in order.

But before we move on to that...

A famous author once wrote that nightmares exist outside of logic and there's little fun to be had in explanations. They're antithetical to the poetry of fear. In a horror story the victim keeps asking why, but there can be no explanation and there shouldn't be one. The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest and is what we'll remember in the end. My name is Pale Heart, I'm a writer.

Hm... So, although this isn't necessarily a horror story, this is an important lesson to learn. In the scheme of things, what you are about to see may not be fully explained... and it may not have or even need an explanation. Some questions in life can be answered, but there are some that shall eternally remain a mystery. That's just how the world works, you know? Who are we to claim we know all the answers, when we know so very few?

"It's just a story; I should really just relax." Think like this, and you won't go insane ;)

...Now! I shall bestow upon you a short tale about one particular human being... One person that is so unimportant, that he is the central-most critical component of this entire saga...

...This is the story about a boy that... is very crucial to who I am... and to what you have witnessed thus far... Granted, it doesn't matter who he was anymore, but I guess you deserve to see the bare essentials...

* * *

**ALONE**

It was a quiet morning, right at the crossing between winter and spring... The tranquil cool air would soon be making way for the usual insufferable warm and sweaty weather...

A teen sat on his bed on the main floor of his ranch-style home, scouring the internet with his outdated laptop computer. Yet another batch of harsh words for a series of games he loved... Oh well, he had gotten used to it.

Now, you are probably expecting some in-depth description of this boy, aren't you? Well, no need to get in detail, for there really isn't much to describe. His appearance, in short, has always been rather uncouth: Unkempt brown hair, baggy black shirt and navy blue docker pants(at all times), and black rugged shoes with a multitude of holes in them. If you questioned him directly, he would jokingly tell you that he thought of himself as a "Professional bum," but nobody ever asked him. Nobody ever cared to ask him anything.

So who is this boy? Hmm... that honestly doesn't really matter either, as you'll soon find out. But, if you need something to work with, then let's just call him Joe. Y'know, just yer typical, run-of-the-mill "Average Joe."

Suddenly, the teen heard the usual creaking of the stairs, and knew that his father and brother were heading out for the day. He leapt off the bed and made his way down the hall to the top of the stairs, and waved. "See ya." He mumbled to his younger brother (Hm, he's really not important to the plot, so let's just call him Nobody.)

Nobody nodded, grabbed his school books, and journeyed off. Within a minute, Joe's father drove off, and he was now home alone... just the way it had been for the past few months.

With an exhausted sigh, the boy went back to his laptop and continued surfing through the posts online. Although he always knew he would regret it, he kept finding himself floating back to the arguments about a game franchise he particularly loved.

So, you're probably wondering: What's this mystery category, huh? Well, duh! What, thought I'd bring up a different series that has nothing to do with this fanfiction? Heh, why would something like _THAT_ happen?

Ah yes... Neptunia... While many found critical faults with the games, dear ole Joe celebrated everything about their existence. The characters, the charm, the humor... At this point in his life, they were exactly what he needed.

And yet those people online... They insisted that they deserved more... That they were somehow entitled to so much more! If only they could see the beauty of what they already had...

Many things he read online bothered him immensely... A LOT of things bother this basket-case... But, perhaps most perplexing of all, were those who wished for... a particular unnecessary dynamic to be introduced to the series...

Neptunia, one could argue, could use a lot of things: More voice acting, steadier frame rate, perhaps even some slight gameplay tweaks...

But you know what the series didn't need? What the series wouldn't ever need?

...A male hero. A protagonist of Joe's own sex who would swoop in and deal with the problems that female main characters couldn't handle...

...Couldn't handle without a man...

He just refused to understand what a generic brown-haired handsome teen would bring to the series other than crappy and clunky romance tropes.

Was it some type of wish-fulfillment? If a male was added, would some player out there be able to project themselves into that character, making them feel like the girls love them? Well, that's a load of bullshit. Adding a shitty love interest would only make the characters fall in love with that useless man; There's no way to pretend that it's YOU they love. The only thing that would happen, could happen, is we'd be forced to witness the gang trip over themselves as their entire life mission morphed into getting into that male's pants.

Why would anyone want to see their favorite girls act completely out-of-character? At that point, isn't it safe to consider them completely different people? Who would want that!?

Yes, if a boy was added, things would only change for the worse...

Oh, how he wished he could make others understand...

...He NEEDED to make others understand...

...But, oh well, opinions are opinions. If someone didn't like what he liked, or think like he did, then that was that... Amazing how important that will be much later from now ;)

Another sigh, and Joe suspended his laptop... heh, for what would be the last time. He did his usual solo walk outside, then came back in and prepared to play something on his PS3.

This brown-haired young man wasn't a complete waste of breath, I should tell you, but he certainly had an awful lot of down time. Being at the crossing between high school and college- between teenager and adulthood- weighed heavy on his mind all the time. Life was changing, plain and simple, and he was stuck right in the middle of all that chaos... Even worse yet, the very recent passing of his mother made him all the more weary towards the world...

Dear God, it was all going to rip him to shreds! The madness of the world bore down on his soul at every waking hour, and he just couldn't handle it!

...Still, Joe refused to give up, at least entirely. He'd keep moving forward, for the sake of moving forward. He wouldn't allow himself to just roll over and die.

...However, all that resolve still left him with no clear purpose for his sad and pathetic life.

Perhaps it was fate that he decided to play what he did at that very moment; You believe in fate, don't you? I sure as hell do...

"Okay... Now what to do...?" Joe mumbled. He looked towards the completely unorganized bin next to the bed and began sifting through the massive piles of games lying clumsily on top. "Hm... Sure, I could use this right now..."

The game was, of course, Hyperdimension_ Neptunia mk2_... It always calmed the boy down when he was feeling stressed and anxious. He had pretty much completed the entire thing, save for one last sequence: The Conquest Ending. He had heard a few scattered words about it, but otherwise knew nothing. Today would be the day he'd finally complete it...

Big mistake.

The game was inserted, he loaded his file, and he began playing, unaware of the horrors that awaited him...

...About an hour later...

"Love&Peace" flashed on the television screen, and Joe could only stare slack-jawed.

"W-W-What the hell was that!?" He blurted out, an empty feeling in his stomach. That ending had to have been one of the most depressing things he ever witnessed. He certainly didn't expect that!

Awestruck, he stood up and was about to take the disc out, when something horrible occurred: the PS3 began to make a disturbing whirring sound, almost as if it were crying for help... or mercy.

Joe didn't particularly like when electronics made sounds he didn't recognize. "W-What are you doing? S-Stop! Shit, shit, shit!" Usually, he'd have his brother deal with this type of stuff, but he'd be at school for the next few hours. So, the IT-hopeful did the one thing he could think of: He unplugged the game console. "That should do it."

Oh, but that solved nothing. The console continued to scream bloody murder, even with no power. An eerie purple glow resonated from the disc slot and USB ports, and the noise grew even louder. Why, if he didn't know better, he'd have assumed the PS3 was about to...

"E-Explode!" And that it did... kinda. On the outside, the console was as normal and dusty as ever. Inside, though... well, whatever happened, smoke was emerging from every open pore. The insides just went "POOF!"

"No, no, no, no, no, no! What the hell happened!? Wha-Bweu-Bu-Pu-Tu-Chu... Wha...!?" Well said.

Clearly, he was shocked and confused... So confused, in fact, that he didn't notice the screaming coming from above... He was admittedly a bit of a dunce ;)

**MEETING NEPTUNE(?)**

"...ve move move move move movemovemovemovemovemovemovemove!"

Without warning, a figure crashed through the roof (which was practically already falling apart anyways) and landed squarely on Joe, blasting him flat on his back onto his mattress.

...Heh, if I was a dirtier individual, I'd say that this was the closest he had ever been to getting a woman in his bed, but I'll hold my tongue... Oh wait, whoops!

Amazingly, that blow didn't kill him; It was almost as if this cliché situation had been craft-fully manufactured. Can't have the main character die in the beginning, right?

"O-Ow... There goes my spine..." The boy droned, his eyes shut tight in pain. The figure on his chest raised her head, and took a long look around the room.

"Ah, fiddlesticks, I really gotta learn ta stick my landings..." The mysterious intruder rubbed her backside. "...Heeeeeeey, nice place ya got here... Why are the walls yellow? Kinda tacky."

The girl rolled off the hurting boy, and he painstakingly sat up. "The wa...lls are supposed to be gold... Ugh... I was six when they were painted; sue me."

The purple-haired intruder stared at the boy for a long moment, swaying back and forth in the wind that now entered the room from the busted roof. Finally, she spoke again, as if this was all standard routine. "So anyways, am I in the right place? I was hopin' to find some dood named... Joe... Sephy? Joe-Sephiroth? Joe-yo-mama?"

The brown-haired young man rubbed his back, and shook his head. "...I'm Joseph...? What do you need with m...!?" For the first time, he finally looked at the girl's face. "...N-Neptune? But... How?" How was he talking to a video game character? How the hell was Neptune in his freakin' bedroom!? Why, this whole scenario was like something straight out of a fanfiction!

The ditz flapped her hand dismissively. "Don't be concernin' yerself with the details, my bro! Right now, you need to worry about hurrying back with me to Gamindustri! There be somethin' evil afoot, and we need the chosen one to help us!"

"The c-chosen one?... Who, me? I've never been chosen for anything."

Neptune began springing up and down energetically for no apparent reason. "You are most certainly the chosen-iest of the chosen ones, Joe-seppey! Only you can stop... ASAC?... ISIC? SICA? SOPA?"

Joe sighed again. "ASIC? What about 'em? And I'm just a random asshole; What can I possibly do to stop them?"

The ditz started poking at the boy's 32-inch HD television screen. "Histy says that ISAC found this real evil-schmievil sword or sumthin', and only the chosen dood can stop them! Why a sword would be more dangerous than some 50-foot dragon, I'll never know, but I guess I don't get paid to think about that stuff!" Is Neptune... more clever than she lets on?

"A sword, huh?" The brown-haired young man could only think of one thing: Gehaburn, the very same sword that spilled the blood of many in the Conquest Ending he had just watched. A Neptune from some dimension had somehow appeared to him, asking for help with stopping ASIC from using that sword. This was serious indeed!

...Joe always believed that a male should never interfere with the Neptunia realm, and he realized that if he accepted, he'd become what he most despised. However... he had to stop that cursed sword! He had to repent for witnessing that cruel ending!

He was willing to break his own rules if it meant saving the characters he loved.

...Oh, and a flippin' video game character just crash-landed into his house, breaking all vestiges of common sense and rational thought. Neptune was offering him a trip to Gamindustri; to another universe he could only believe was entirely fictional! Add that to how pressuring and generally unfulfilling life felt to him, it was no surprise he quickly said what he did:

"...In that case, I guess I can't refuse... I will go with you, though I'm still not sure 'bout this whole 'Chosen One' thing..." That's it kid! Run and hide from your real life!

Neptune's mouth grew into a wide grin, and she shot the boy a peace sign. "Cool beans! Well, what're we waitin' for, mah main man? Let's hustle!"

The ditz immediately began pulling on Joe's short-sleeved black shirt, but he simply shook his head and stood his ground. "...Er, do you have any kind of clue how to get back to Gamindustri? I mean, plots like this usually have us wandering aimlessly for at least a good eight-to-twelve paragraphs, maybe even longer. Should we check every sewer hole? Every peculiar ditch in the ground?"

Neptune shook her head, smiling the whole time. "Nope, I knows the way! Histy gave me this lil button to press; Should ZIP! us back to the Basilicom in no time!"

Joe was taken aback, amazed at how Neptune was actually ahead of things. Sure, Histoire came up with all this, but the mere fact that this ditz could remember AND follow orders was simply astounding.

It was almost too good to be true...

The brown-haired young man could only shrug. "...If you say so... Let's get on with this."

Neptune nodded, but stopped for a second. "Yo... Dontcha wanna tell someone first? I mean, some stunning babe from another dimension just smashed into your tacky room... Isn't that somethin' you'd blab about to yer momma or dadda?... Or mama and mama? Ooh, and Vert would assume dada and dad-"

Joe thought for only a moment... He'd be leaving this life behind for who knows how long? Shouldn't he tell his father or brother?

"...No, I'm good... Let's get going..."

The ditz was perhaps a tad confused, but her default face hid it well. "Okie-dokey, arti-...Chopin! Let's hustle!" At once, she pressed the random button Histoire gave her, and a large purple vortex appeared in the doorway.

Joe took one last look at his room, at his PS3, at his tacky yellow/gold walls, at his old untouched school stuff, at his laptop, at his high school uniform jacket, at his anime and games collection...

At everything... Joe took one last look at everything...

With only the clothes on his back and his rugged shoes, the boy followed Neptune into the portal...

...Never to be heard from again...

* * *

**HERE**

Falling... Falling...

For a good long minute, Joe and Neptune simply fell through the purple nothingness. "Y'know... for inter-dimension travel, this is kind of boring!" Joe called, struggling to raise his voice. He was a soft-spoken individual, you should know; Choosing to stay silent all day rather than speak his mind and face rejection... Yelling practically caused him physical pain.

The ditz... said nothing at all... Nope, she didn't even hum a happy-go-lucky tune to herself as she fell. Most peculiar...

"Er, Neptune?... You... all right?"

Nothing still. What, had she fallen asleep?

...No, she had not... In fact, she had awakened!

The ditz(?) slowly turned her head towards the boy, and flashed a particularly sinister grin.

"N-Neptune?" Haha... Kinda.

Planeptune's CPU's eyes narrowed, and the entire top-half of her face looked like it was encased in shadows. "...Hmph... See ya, sucker..."

"W-Wha?" Joe simply stammered, not understanding anything that was going on (like you xD). The ditz(?) waved mockingly, and began defying all physics by falling a different direction. "C-Come Back!"

In reply, an alien voice reached the boy's ears. "Heheheheh! Oh man, look at your frickin' face! That never gets old! XD Have fun in Hell, you piece of shit!" It was a snide and brash female voice, one that... Joe still can't figure out who it belonged to. This is one of those mysteries I mentioned: Who that woman was doesn't matter in the end I guess, even though everything may as well have been her fault. I don't know who or what she is, so I choose not to question...

...But get me in a room alone with her, and I'll flippin' DESTROY her... And then thank her corpse...

...Er, but I digress.

Now abandoned by who he thought was Neptune, the brown-haired young man began to notice other figures in the background: Other boys kneeling on strange gray structures, with twisted-looking Neptunia character holding weapons to their chests.

One platform, a Nepgear with evil eyes mocked a crying man. "P-P-Please! I-I loved the Candidates! N-Nepgear was the better main character!" *Schlish!* Right through the chest.

Another. "S-Sadie wasn't all that bad. Why wouldn't I want Plutia to return!? Her hate is overblo-" *Schlish!* Another one bites the dust.

"T-T-T-The charm of the games are their simple plots! T-They don't need to be anything mor-" And another one gone, and another one gone...

Young men everywhere, getting murdered by twisted beings that just so happened to look like their favorite characters.

Joe was falling through a realm where seemingly outspoken fans were offed by the wished of those that demanded more from the series.

"T-The series should stay all-female! That's the whole poin-" *Splat!*

So much needless death... all because so many people simply didn't understand... And Joe realized that he was more than likely going to meet the same fate.

Before he could scream like a little girl, though, his ass collided with concrete. Miraculously, every bone in his body wasn't broken; Eat that, physics!

"Ah...! Shit... That hurt..." Man, Captain Obvious here! Who writes this crap?

...Oh yeah, me! XD

Joe was in too much pain to notice the figures standing before him. "W-What the!? I... caught something? W-Woah... C-C-CFW Magic, ma'am! I-I actually caught something!"

The brown-haired young man turned his head in surprise, and was instantly enthralled; The most beautiful woman he had ever seen before was standing a little ways away, clutching a fishing pole.

This angel stared in awe at Joe, amazed she had managed to fish him out of thin air. Her name, of course... was Linda, though you may know her as Underling. Lovely, lovely Underling...

A despicable woman you all should be familiar with by now hovered over upon hearing her call. "Hmm... A strong supporter of the CPUs, it seems... Great catch, Linda."

Underling blushed lightly under CFW Magic's praise, and turned to hide her flushed cheeks. Joe was still totally enraptured by the green-haired girl's magnificence.

He of course knew the ASIC member from the Neptunia games, but something about her in the flesh was just stunning, to put it lightly. Joe was instantly in love.

However, Magic was not prepared to let him know happiness and bliss. "Another worthless piece of filth... Where are your goddesses now, boy? If you worship them so much, then why aren't they aiding you?"

The brown-haired young man snapped out of his revery, and gazed confusedly at the ASIC commander. Before he could open his mouth to stammer uselessly, the woman kicked him flat on his back.

"Wh... Hey! CFW Magic, ma'am, what're you doin' ta him? We didn't fish for supporters of those dumb skanks just to kill 'em, did we?" Linda said in even further confusion.

Magic chuckled slightly hammily. "Linda, this boy is the enemy. As long as trash like him exists to worship those CPUs, then ASIC can only be hampered. By snuffing them out, their power will fade, and the Deity of Sin will be one step closer to fully reviving."

Underling's eyebrows furrowed, slightly conflicted. "...Ok, I guess... If that's what our mission is..." She would never act against the boss she absolutely adored.

The commander lightly traced a finger over Linda's lips, chuckling all the while. Then, she turned back to Joe and raised her weapon. "Don't worry... This will only hurt until you bleed out."

Joe's eyes widened in horror as the weapon approached his chest. He looked towards Underling for help, but she turned her head away, clearly not into the idea of murdering random people. But it's what Magic wanted... so it had to be done.

Now would be a great time for some Big Damn Hero to show up, y'know? Maybe Nisa would spring out from nowhere and rescue this confused pathetic little boy? Maybe the CPUs would show up to save his sorry ass?

...But nope, no one came... CFW Magic, that cruel, twisted, sick bitch was never halted.

With a disgusting squishing sound, the villain's scythe impaled Joe's stomach, and was held there for a few endless seconds. The boy could feel the foreign object sticking through his vital organs. His first reaction was not one of pain, but instead he felt like he had to throw up.

Another hammy laugh, and Magic removed her scythe, a rather potent PLOP! sound as it left the dying boy's body. As if that wasn't enough, she took her foot and stepped right on his open wound. "There was never any chance of salvation for him, Linda. No matter what we did, he would never put his faith in pirated products. If there was any other way, I would have taken it."

Underling appeared to be sick, the squishing sounds playing repeat in her head. "...Y-Yeah... I-I-I-I understand, CFW M-Magic, ma'am... W-We showed those s-skanks wh-who's in charge a-around here!..."

"I want you to come over here, Linda... Get a closer glimpse at what the enemy really looks like." Magic beckoned for her devoted follower, and the green-haired woman reluctantly nodded.

"...Damn... He's just a freakin' teen... Wasn't this, y'know, kinda... excessive?"

"No... Supporters like these can never be convinced to back down from their beliefs. If left unchecked, they will make the CPUs stronger. Only by ending them can we win."

"...If you say so..." Underling looked down at the dying boy's face. "...Sorry, dude..." She whispered so only he could hear.

Through Joe's hazy eyes, the sight of Linda's beautiful face offered some form of comfort. He didn't blame her for any of this; Even angels had to listen to their bosses. The fact that she felt even the slightest bit of pity meant the world to him.

Magic, however, was entirely at fault for everything. He would never forgive her... And why would he? "...Hm, I can't risk leaving you here, in the off-chance some help does arrive... It pains me to say that I must end your suffering here and now. Perhaps in Hell, you'll face the comeuppance you truly deserve..." She raised her scythe above her head, Joe in too much of a daze to care.

"Good night." Another swing right for the heart, and for all intents and purposes, the brown-haired young man named Joe was no more...

...While his life apparently had come to an end, his story had just begun!

* * *

There was no darkness for the murdered boy... No, far from it. Instead, he found himself twisting and convulsing in the bright realm of nothingness. All he knew was pain... Second by second, every single memory and component that made Joe human were dispersed into the fictional realm. His soul was being ripped to shreds, and the scattered pieces took form in the ethereal plane!

_"Better that I betray the world than let the world betray me."_

Everything...

_"Nagisa-chan... Damn that Shizuma... Why can't it be me instead?"_

...he had ever thought...

_**"Boy, you're gonna carry that weight..."**_

Everything...

_"These make up... Najica Blitz Tactics!"_

...he had ever known...

_"Waah!? Why is Teacher and Cordelia...? Wow... I had no idea..."_

...was...

_"That was some mighty fine flying out there, Perrine; Color me impressed."_

_"Oh, t-thank you, Major Sakamoto! ...I...I haven't even shown you my best yet!"_

...coming...

_**"...CARRY that weight a long time..."**_

...Undone...

...

* * *

That's not the ending, though... Heh, far from it...

You see, Joe was killed by a fictional character in an alternate universe from his... The logistics behind that are just mind-boggling. Again, unexplained mysteries territory, but this unusual type of death did something to the boy's soul, as you just saw... It did something to his very essence...

Now, why him, you may ask, but not those other boys we saw get murdered? Well, that's up for interpretation. Perhaps the things that killed the others weren't characters, but some type of malevolent force composed of pure hate and malice that simply took the shape of familiar girls? They could have been monsters that lived within the human realm; If a monster killed you in your home, you'd be pretty dead.

However, Magic was a video game character, and Joe was from a world where she was nothing more than just that. When she killed him, it may have had an effect on the universe similar to dividing by zero. As such, he didn't simply die... Oh no, something much more horrific happened...

...Which leads us to the other grand tale for today:

My dramatic retelling of the end of the world...

**TRUE END**

As the boy's soul was being ripped apart in the rift between all universal existence, a peculiar scene was taking place on a tranquil hill beside a beautiful lake.

Four goddesses, each representing a separate landmass, were about to declare their resignations.

An alternate Histoire was addressing the alternate group of powerful entities. "It is all right if you desire to remain here and settle things in your own lands, but please, make sure to return soon!" She obviously had no idea what was about to happen.

So, how do you suppose the four women would disclose this mind-blowing information? Well, by having the ditzy Neptune speak, of course! "Actually, the four of us already brainstormed. We're all gonna stay right here. We wanna quit being CPUs!" Way to soften the blow, my darling Nep-Nep...

The tome fairy was clearly surprised. "Wh-What?! [o_O;] Quit your jobs as goddesses?! That is not even possible! Who will create the next goddess? Wh-Who will become the current goddess?!"

I could continue the scene, but I'm choosing not to, as I would just be repeating the entire true ending scene from the actual first game. All you need to know is that the four CPUs' words touched Histy, and she decided to say this:

"...I understand. Then, please... put all your powers inside of me." And with a bright flash, Neptune, Noire, Vert, and Blanc were no longer divine.

And that, my friends... is why this alternate Gamindustri, a universe you know today as debunked and retconned, was allowed to be wiped out of existence.

Let's fast forward to a few days later... The day when the remnants of dearest Joe reached this version of Gamindustri...

...And replaced the empty role left by the ex-CPUs...

...

"Woo hoo! Chug it, Compa!" Neptune cheered, egging the nurse-in-training into downing an entire jug of lemonade.

The medic tried to swallow all the drink, but couldn't handle more than a second's worth.

"J-Jeez, don't entice her like that, Nep! Her stomach's not an endless void like yours is." IF remarked, looking at her cell phone. She turned to the girl sitting next to her and smiled. "Lyrica, I'm gonna get a soda. You want one?"

The pop idol thought for a moment, then smiled back. "Sure, thank you, Iffy."

The battle-hardened veteran grinned, and journeyed into the kitchen.

On this otherwise-average day, the girls were celebrating the defeat of Arfoire with a grand party... at Compa's house, of course. All seemed right with the world.

IF almost made it to the fridge, but found the way blocked by a rather boisterous youngling. "Wifey, can you get me a soda, too? I'll love ya super-duper more if ya do!" The red-haired girl's name was... well, Red, though she probably prefers being called RED... I don't feel the need to address her in the way she desires, though.

The brunette sighed. "...Fine, but you'll need to move aside so I can get past..."

The small girl's eyes sparkled. "Thank you, Iffy-poo! This is why you're my Numbah One wifey!" A powerful glomp ensued.

Ah Red... You don't yet know how important you're destined to become...

Meanwhile, up in Celestia, Histoire was preparing to head on down to Gamindustri; Tomes need to party sometimes, too! However, right as she was about to poof to the house, or whatever she does to travel, she felt an... uneasy presence enter the particular room she was in. "...Hm? Who is there? (?_?;) I can feel your energy... What are you?" Neither man nor woman... Neither human nor god... The entity that had once been a boy was now just a force bred of eternal hate and misery.

Perhaps Histoire realized what the malevolent force was going to do right then and there, but by the time she could have reacted, it was too late. The entity, desperately seeking a vessel to claim as its home, found a hole that needed filling: The title of CPU. The tome fairy had been searching for some new candidates to replace the girls that had quit... Of course, the search could take thousands of years, so she had barely made any progress at all. The power she took from them had yet to find a proper place to go.

However, Histoire wasn't stupid; She knew when the fate of the world was in danger... If only her mind worked faster, heh. "...You're not Arfoire... No, even she is not so crazed... or powerful...?" Her head lifted up in horror. "N-No! I-I can't let you-" Too late.

The dark presence was able to absorb the energy left behind by the goddesses, taking in the grandest power in all the universe! The being formerly known as Joe was now more than a god(dess); It had the strength and the wishes of all four landmasses! In essence, it now had control over all of Gamindustri!

...Now tell me: If you were comprised entirely of rage towards humanity, and you were given the power over everything, what would you end up doing? Why, destroying everything, of course (getting bored of that sentence structure yet?)! And that's precisely what happened ;)

Sensing that a new CPU who meant only harm to the world had been born (albeit very unconventionally), Histoire fled; She had to warn the girls! If she remained in Celestia any longer, who knows what that malevolent being would do to her?

And so... the apocalypse arrived to this alternate Gamindustri.

* * *

**THE FIRST END**

The world began shaking, and all the party-goers were knocked to the ground. "W-What the? Jeez, that hurt..." Noire complained, rubbing her back as she tried to stand back up.

Blanc attempted to dust herself off. "Neptune, I think Planeptune's broken. How do flying landmasses even have earthquakes? Your land makes less sense than you."

The ditz had latched onto Compa immediately, her face in her chest. "Yo, it's not my fault the ground's all shaky an' stuff! I'm not in charge anymore, remember?" She cast a sly eye over to Vert, and further snuggled in Compa's chest. "The monster boobage in this house is probably upsetting the world's natural balance! 'Twas only a matter of time before they tried to take us down, Blawny."

"N-Nep-Nep! Stop that!"

The rumbling only grew worse, however. This was no mere earthquake... especially considering these are flying islands, people.

"This isn't subsiding any time soon... Everyone, grab onto something!" Nisa shouted as she toppled over yet again, her voice being drowned out by the sound of the crumbling... everything.

All of a sudden, a chunk of the ceiling collapsed, understandably startling the girls. "G-Gust is out of here!" The alchemist helped the heroine up, and motioned for the door. "Let's move, people! Go go go!"

Compa was in full-on panic mode. "Oh no! What'll I tell my grandpa? He likes this house!" Eh, is that all she's worried about?

Vert got to her feet and dashed for the exit. "Everyone, there's no time! We need to find someplace safe!"

"P-Planeptune's Basilicom is pretty close by! If there's any safe place, it would be there!" Noire shouted, grasping Neptune's arm for support and totally no other reason!

Compa, in turn, also held onto Neptune for dear life. "B-But what about the others? Iffy and Red are still inside!"

Only Gust and Lyrica heard the medic's rather critical question. The alchemist replied "Those two are strong... They'll be fine!" A rather shitty response, but eh, the very earth around them was ripping apart at the seams. Taking any detours would spell their doom.

The girls fled the scene, although 5pb. remained in the crumbling house. "...I-IF and Red!" She ran into the kitchen, dodging more chunks of rubble, and she came to a horrible sight: The floor had completely given way, with the battle-hardened veteran dangling precariously over a pit to nothing.

"IF! H-Hang in there!" The pop idol screamed, but she couldn't figure out a way to get over to help.

Fortunately, Red was able to reach the brunette, but a load of jack she could do. "I-I can't pull ya up, I-Iffy! ...Yer too heavy!" Another violent shake, and the dragon girl fell over on her side.

"Crap, Red! Are you okay!? ...Wait, Lyrica, is that you? ...Shit, just run, guys! Get to safety!" The brunette called, trying to hide the fear in her voice.

But the pop idol wasn't having any of that. "I-I'm not leaving you, IF!" She stepped back as fair a distance she could muster, and dashed for the major gash in the floor. "Red, catch me!"

The red/white-haired girl's eyes widened in shock, but she nodded in the affirmative. Gamindustri's pop idol leapt into the air... but she came just a tad too short of her mark. Without a word, she began falling, falling...

"N-No!" IF, using her free hand, reached with all her might, and managed to take hold of the blue-haired girl's wrist. "C-Crap, why'd you do that, Lyree!? Y-You shoulda escaped!"

"I-I couldn't leave you, IF! ...I-I screwed up, huh?"

And now, IF and 5pb. were dangling over an endless abyss, whilst Red could only try in vain to pull them up.

* * *

"Girls! Girls!" Histoire cried as she appeared before the running party.

"W-Woah, Histy! Watch where ya POOF alla sudden! You coulda gave Noirey a heart-attack!" The ditz exclaimed, her demeanor rather unaffected by the ongoing apocalypse. The tsundere responded with a clonk to her head.

Histoire ignored Neptune's words. "The entire world is in danger! We do not have much time to find safety!"

Noire nodded frantically. "We can see that! Do you think the Basilicom will be safe? That's where we were heading."

"Yes, I suppose that is our best bet. Let us make haste."

The group of girls ran off, but Vert remained behind this time. "...Dear goddess, we forgot Miss IF!" Took her long enough; Doesn't she have a thing for IF, especially in this continuity? Neh, seems everyone's acting stupid today. At once, she made her way back to what was left of the house.

Ignorant of that, however, the girls quickly and miraculously made it to the Basilicom. The massive Planeptune tower nearby appeared to be teetering on its side most dangerously. "There should be a hidden compartment leading to an underground bunker... That is our greatest chance!" The tome shouted, leading them all towards salvation.

A television blared in the Basilicom (yes, a TV in a holy building; Ah, Neptune), reporting the situation around Gamindustri. "T-This just in! L-L-Lowee in its entirety has... c-crumbled! T-T-T-There have been no reports of any... survivors..."

Blanc's eyes were glued to the screen, her mind now blank (heh). The landmass she had ruled until just recently was... destroyed? But, what of all the inhabitants who believed in her? Were they... dead?

Her mind instantly traveled to Financier... Was she dead?

The quiet-but-rage-filled girl stood in a trance, locking herself away from everything around her. Hm, seems like an excuse to forgo any dialogue for her, but whatevs.

"Hey, uh, Blawny... You might wanna follow us... Er, the Basilicom's goin' all explodey, and stuff." Neptune warned, trying to tug the girl's arm. Blanc wouldn't budge, nor reply. "Er, whuddo we do? Blanc's a zombie, guys. We can't just leave her."

Noire quickly pulled Neptune aside and slapped the violent ex-goddess in the face. "Snap out of it! Come on, let's go!"

If you thought that would work, you're nuts. The ill-tempered young woman continued to stand lifeless, her eyes staring deep into the television's soul. If I was cruel, I'd say that this was the first time she ever realized she cared about something, but... I just said it, so there.

"We have no time! Someone, carry her!" Histoire called out. She had managed to find the secret compartment, and Nisa was ushering Gust and Compa in at the moment.

Neptune and Noire nodded, and immediately went to lifting the quiet girl up. Too bad for them, the ceiling took this moment to utterly break apart, sending a huge chunk of heavy stone and metal down upon the poor girls. Basilicoms are meant to last; Only a truly powerful force could destroy one.

"S-Shit, Neptune, look out!" The tsundere cried, and she instinctively pushed the ditz to safety.

Time itself seemed to stop... Neptune shared a fleeting glance with the twintailed girl, and everything in the world went absolutely silent. Slowly, longingly, she reached out her hand.

Too late. The heavy slab of roof crashed directly upon Noire and Blanc, and they were no more.

The ditz was utterly broken. Figuring to prevent another pointless loss, Nisa returned from the secret compartment and lifted Planeptune's ex-CPU from the ground and fled.

Histoire had watched the whole unfolding scene in horror. There was nothing she could have done, but...

"..."

* * *

IF and 5pb. were still dangling over the pit to nothing when Vert entered the room. "O-Oh my...! Hang on, you two!" The elegant woman attempted the same jump as the pop idol, only this time, she succeeded. She looked to Red, who was desperately trying to pull the battle-hardened veteran up, and offered to take it from there. The red-haired girl nodded, frightened tears forming in her eyes.

"L-L-L-L-Lady Vert, what're you doing here!? Y-Yer gonna get yourself killed!" The brunette stammered, both her arms tired from holding on to the floor AND from supporting Lyrica.

"I could never leave you, Miss IF... Now please, take my hand!"

IF sighed, and let go from the ground she had been desperately clinging to. At once, the elegant woman took hold of her now-free hand, and tried to pull her up. "Gnr... You are both too heavy for me... Red, I'll need some help!"

"O-Okies, gotcha!" Red took hold of Vert's waist, and pulled along with her. It went a little better, but still no dice.

"I-Iffy... I'm only pulling you down..." 5pb. sobbed as she looked up at the girl who was keeping her alive. "...We're all going to die if we don't get out of here fast..."

"D-Don't talk like that! W-We can still do this! P-Please don't give up!"

Vert and Red again attempted to pull the girls up, but Lyrica had a point; It was simply impossible to save both of them.

So here IF was, caught between 5pb. and Lady Vert as she looked mortality straight in the eye. By choosing Vert, she would be leaving Lyrica to die... But by choosing Lyrica, they both would die.

...The battle-hardened veteran didn't have to make a choice, though. "...Thank you for taking care of me, Iffy... You've made me so, so happy..."

"F-Fivey!? W-W-What are you saying!?"

"...I love you, IF..."

"N-No! D-DON'T DO THIS!

"...Goodbye..." The pop idol stared directly into the brunette's eyes, and let go of her hand.

IF watched in slow motion as Lyrica fell into the endless pit below. A ringing sensation blared in her ears, and her eyes welled up with an endless stream of cruel water.

Vert's and Red's mouths went dry, but the idol's sacrifice enabled them to move. With a hearty pull, they managed to just barely lift the brunette up.

"IF, it's all right... Please, let's get out of here. We can't allow her sacrifice to be in vain!" The elegant ex-goddess proclaimed. She took the sobbing girl's hand, and ran off in search of a way out. The girl with the dragon over her shoulder quickly followed suit...

* * *

Histoire and Nisa, who was still carrying the stunned Neptune, made it into the secret bunker. "N-Nep-Nep!" Compa cried as she ran over to hug her ditzy friend, who now wore the most unusual expression.

Gust looked at the heroine of justice expectantly. "...Where's other two?"

"...They didn't make it..."

The group was silent, reflecting on all the crap that began a mere few minutes ago. Everything had been so cheerful... How could this happen?

Histoire looked around the room, shelves and shelves of food and water all around, and finally asked the pressing question... that had been asked like twice already. Don't you just love redundancy? "...W-Where is Vert? And IF? Even Red and 5pb.? They're not...?"

"Stayed behind at house..." The alchemist answered, her head facing down as a sense of guilt washed over her. Now that their party had faced unexpected fatalities, she felt unbelievably cruel for leaving her party members behind.

The tome fairy shook her head again, and clasped her tiny nose with her small fingers in frustration. "...This is all my fault... How could I let that thing sneak by me?" She continued to mumble to herself, until Nisa spoke up.

"So... What's our next move? Are we really safe in here? I-If the ground collapses, then we're gonna fall anyways..." The heroine warned, feigning courage. "...And what about all those poor citizens still out there? Isn't there anything we can-"

"I don't know!" Histoire shouted most uncharacteristically. "...If this being so desires, Gamindustri as a whole will come to an end. Celestia is also out of the question..." By now, the all-knowing tome was clearly close to giving up... Surely she would figure out something, right?

...No.

The tome's out-of-character outburst brought a long silence to the last of the party. What was going to happen to them?

* * *

Up in Celestia, the now-omniscient being was growing even more impatient in its rage-filled state. As mindless as it was, though, it managed to recognize one thing...

A character long forgotten in _mk2_. Yep, at least one last vestige of Joe remained. He sensed Red down in Gamindustri below, the same way a rabid dog may still remember its owner... before it mauls them to death.

The part of the malevolent force that was still the brown-haired young man wanted to find Red, one of his favorite characters... But the beast that he now was wanted to destroy her personally.

So what do you think he did? Well, the Devil went down to Compa's house...

...

IF's feet moved, sure, but everything else about her was lifeless. Vert and Red had to keep a very close watch on her... Not that they minded, of course, though the circumstances left a whole lot to be desired.

"It will be all right, Miss IF... You can't let Lyrica down!" Vert shouted in a poor attempt at comfort. The brunette continued to look ahead, her expression as blank as a doll's.

Red took her wifey's hand in hers. "I-chan..." Still no response.

The battle-hardened veteran's two admirers looked at each other worriedly; They'd get nowhere at this rate. What was left of the house was quickly crumbling, and they would all end up like 5pb. if they continued to dawdle.

"...We're getting out of here... Red, help me carry Miss IF out!"

"O-Ok!" And so the two carried the inert brunette out of the house... or at least tried. For you see, Joe chose this moment to make his grand entrance.

A mass of darkness in the shape of a human figure appeared before Vert, causing her to trip in surprise. This, in turn, caused Red and IF to fall as well. They stared up at the monster with abhorrence. They had no idea what the hell it was... but they knew it was the enemy...

...Hell, more than just the enemy...

"W-What is that thing?" The busty ex-goddess remarked. She slowly began crawling away backwards; Smart move.

But Red... Oh no, Red wasn't ready to run. She stood up on her small feet, and slowly marched to the beast. "YOU'RE the creep messing with my wifeys!? You're too stupid to even look like anything, so you just walk around as a shadow thingy? I'm gonna kick yer patootie!" Yeah, you tell him off... Hm, maybe I'm remembering her exact words wrong, but the meaning is pretty much the same.

This finally managed to catch IF's attention. "...R-Red!? W-Wait, what're ya doing? Get away from it!"

The dragon girl shook her head, and looked back to smile at the girl she cared immensely for. "I got this, Iffy-poo... You and Verty should run. I can handle this creep!"

"N-No! W-We're not leaving you, Red!"

"Teehee... There's something you two don't know about me..." Red winked, and spun around a few times. Nothing else happened. "I... am a CPU! Red Heart's the name!" ...? That was essentially everyone's reaction, yours included. The monster probably didn't hear or care.

IF's left eye twitched. "...Red Heart? Er, how the hell can you be a CPU? There was only four, and they've retired...?"

Another huge, bright smile. "Now's not the time for questions, Iffy! I'll hold this creep off. You two get out of here and meet with my other wifeys!"

"Red... But..."

"IF... Everything will be all right... All I need is for you to believe in me. Just believe in me and I can do anything." ...Rip-off or shout out? ;)

The two shared one last intense gaze, neither wanting to look away. The battle-hardened veteran saw the love and sincerity in the young girl's eyes, though, and she resolved to put her absolute faith in her.

With a nod, IF gave her best attempt at a caring smile, and ran off with Vert to find a way out. Red's eyes lit up, and she waved heartily... before turning around to face the remnants of Joe.

...You've probably already guessed, but there is no Red Heart. Red herself knew she wasn't a CPU, Vert knew she wasn't a CPU, and IF especially knew she wasn't a CPU. So, why did Red lie?

...Well, people will do crazy things to protect the ones they love... Like Lyrica, the dragon girl was knowingly giving up her life to save her number one wife.

"I may be adorable, but I know how to fight, ya beasty!" Red shouted, and took out her glorious yo-yo weapon. Reeling her arm back, she dashed forward and lashed out.

The entity stood completely still. The yo-yo made contact with the absolute darkness, the toy vanishing with a potent hiss. In retaliation, the thing stretched its arm-like thing and grabbed a hold of the dragon girl.

Silently, Red stared daggers at the remnants of Joe, her body rendered motionless. What was left of the boy reached out to longingly caress the young girl's peculiarly shaped hair... while the rage that he now was destroyed her.

Unceremoniously, poor little Red was wiped out of existence... Though, I assume you know what became of her. I wonder if she remembers Joe utterly erasing her? It seems all she recalls is that something bad happened, and her universe vanished. Guess she doesn't know about m...HIM yet... hehe...

...

Vert and IF managed to escape thanks to Red's distraction, but the sight outside did nothing to ease their minds. "Holy crap... The whole world's gone to hell!" IF blurted out. Indeed it had! Random cliché flames had sprung up absolutely everywhere, chasms to nothing flooded the ground, and buildings and trees no longer stood. Gamindustri was literally crumbling. "...Where do ya think the others ran off to? Crap, I hope they're alright..." Her mind first traveled to Neptune and Compa... and her heart began to ache. What if something had happened to her closest allies, just like... Lyrica?

The ex-goddess once again took the brunette's hand. "I believe they were headed to the Basilicom! A better plan than staying out in the open, I'd say!"

The two girls then began to run off, IF taking one last look at the house. "Red..." Deep down, she knew the lovable dragon girl was most likely dead... Not much she could do now...

...

Eh, let me skip the boring traveling parts... YAWN! Am I right? ^_-

"Look! There it... is..." Vert stopped, seeing that a majority of the Basilicom's roof had collapsed. Neptune's alleged bedroom seemed to still be standing, but not for long.

The battle-hardened veteran payed no heed to the danger, and she cast herself towards the desecrated holy building. "Nep! Compa! I'm coming!"

"M-Miss IF! Wait!"

* * *

A violent shake, and the girls in the secret room were knocked on their asses again. They could just tell from the absolute ferocity of the rumble that they wouldn't be safe here... nor anywhere, really. "Great halls of justice! W-We're going down!" Nisa exclaimed. She instinctively picked up Gust, alarming the small alchemist.

"L-Let Gust go!"

Histoire, too, knew they were essentially screwed. She raised a small finger in the air and prepared to speak, but another violent shake struck the world, sending several crates hurtling towards the group.

"N-Nep-Nep! D-Duck!" Compa shouted as she pushed the inert ditz to the ground. As a result, the medic was struck full-force in the head by a flippin' heavy crate of eggplants... Seeing as how much it weighed, and that Compa's an airhead, she understandably was knocked out cold.

"O-Oh no! Compa, can you hear me!?" Nisa cried, rushing over to shake the nurse-in-training awake... Hard to do while still carrying little Gust.

Another quake, and the sound of twisting steel and such filled the air. The tome's eyes widened. "Oh my! W-We are not safe here! Quick, everyone, follow me!"

The heroine nodded, and tried with all her might to carry both Compa and Gust... Not that easy. Before anything, a hand pressed on her shoulder, startling her. "W-Wah!?"

Surprisingly enough, the unexpected hand belonged to a smiling Neptune. "Yo, we gotta blow this Popsicle stand... I can carry Comps..." The ditz tried to feign normality, but Nisa could see it in her eyes that she was anything but okay. Still, she nodded hesitantly, and cautiously handed the unconscious medic over to the party leader. Now with only Gust in hand, the heroine moved on.

"Let me down! Gust isn't small child!" The alchemist pouted again, but her words went unheeded.

Histoire wasted no time in retreating from the "safe" bunker, the scared girls not far behind. But where could they go?

...Well, turns out that wouldn't be a problem they'd ever need to solve, heh...

A familiar voice carried to the tome's ear. "-stoire! Shit, you guys okay!?" IF (and Vert, though she was lagging behind) had finally met up with the rest of the party! The brunette took a saddened look around. "...Where's Noire and Blanc?"

Nisa could only shake her head. "...5pb? Red? Are they...?"

IF averted her gaze, signifying the worst. Another long pause... Geez, is this Armageddon vignette really trying to bore us to death?

Leanbox's ex-goddess approached the tome. "Histoire, surely there must be some safe haven... Not even Celestia is out of harm's way?"

"No... This being was formed in Celestia. It would be able to wreak havoc there just as easy as in Gamindustri... But I fear it's our only choice..."

IF turned to address the fairy. "Hey... Back at Compa's house, we kinda came face to face with... er, something. I assume it was this "thing" yer talking about? Definitely wasn't friendly..." She decided not to mention how it had most likely killed Red.

Histoire's eyes widened. "This entity manifested itself in a physical form?... If that's the case, then maybe... it can be contained! There is no way to recover from this disaster, but we can stop it from completely wiping out the known universe! Now we just need a vessel..." So, they're going down the "Sealed evil in a can" route? Well, at least it's a plan.

Another shake, you know the drill by now. Urgency, urgency... Why are they standing around talking? Hm, well, I guess in most films and stories, the heroes can get away with wasting time.

...This isn't like most stories ;)

Guess what happens? "L-Look out!" Nisa cried; Through whatever contrived reason or defiance of physics, a large heavy chunk of what was presumably Planeptune tower came crashing down towards the group below. In an act of desperation, the heroine tossed Gust out of her arms, causing her to collide into IF. This, in turn, caused a domino effect, with the other girls falling backwards on both sides of the projected strike zone. Quite cartoony, but effective.

Did Nisa just selfishly doom her teammates? No... in fact, just the opposite. By making them all fall over, the girls were safe from the falling chunk of spire.

...However, by ensuring that the others were safe, Gamindustri's heroine of justice was...

"N-Nisa!" Gust shouted. The upholder of the righteous gave her friend one last quick salute, and disappeared beneath the massive structure. That was that.

Horrified, and now separated by the tower, the party could only scatter in several directions. The poor little alchemist, however, dropped to her small knees in despair. She was thusly left behind in the ensuing chaos... To be honest, I'm not quite positive what did her in. Do you really, REALLY, wanna know? What type of sick bastard are you? xD

* * *

By now, the air was thick with smoke and fire, rendering all sight null. IF had wound up with Neptune and Compa, who was still unconscious. Histoire and Vert, in return, were paired up together. Not much longer now, folks.

IF punched the ground in utter frustration, and then ran her hands through her hair. "Damn it!... You okay, Nep? How's Compa?"

The ditz poked the medic's cheek. "Nope, still out cold as a cucumber. Maybe giganteum breasts make you sleep longer?" She just didn't sound the same.

Yet another tremor... this one spelling the end for these three friends. "O-Oh crap! T-The ground is-" Crumbling! As it just so happened, the very earth beneath the trio's feet chose that moment to utterly erode. They fell into the chasm below, but fortunately... or UNfortunately... landed on a random small scrap of land that remained beneath it all. It must've gotten stuck in mid-fall, or something. Oh well, it would resolve itself soon.

In the fall, the ditz had understandably lost her grip on Compa, and all three now lay side-by-side on their backs. From here, they were given an excellent view of the dying landmass.

"...End of the line, I guess..." IF muttered, and she fumbled about while trying to reach out to her allies. Clenching Neptune's and Compa's hands tight, she attempted to smile. "...Party members til the end, right?"

Neptune, giving her best attempt at a grin, looked straight in the brunette's eyes. "...You betcha, Iffy! W...We're the most snap-est, crackle-est, and pop-est trio evah!"

"Heh... I love ya, you little brat..." The girls closed their eyes and simply tried to relax... A few moments later, the small platform came apart, and the blood sisters fell...

* * *

And then there were two.

With everything crumbling fast, Histoire and Vert desperately ran back into the Basilicom, deciding to head to the last seemingly untouched area: Neptune's room!

The pair found the stairs with ease, and climbed as fast as they could... Um, Histoire's essentially a flying book. Why does she even need stairs, and how does she climb them?

Vert looked behind her and audibly gasped, shocked at how fast the world was falling apart. The bottom floor of the Basilicom was suddenly just gone, and the stairs were following suit. If the last remaining ex-goddess didn't follow the tome fast, there wouldn't be any ground left to stand on!

...You know that scene in every horror film, especially of the slasher variety? You know, where the girl is running through the dark forest or wherever, and she suddenly becomes the clumsiest human being on the planet? Well, it was Vert's turn to play up to that trope!

One of the identifying terms I use to describe her in this script is 'elegant' and stuff, as you've probably picked up. Her attire was very elegant indeed... making it hard to run up stairs at such a speed.

"O-Oh my...!" Vert exclaimed as she stumbled mid-step. Her heels had caught her remarkably long dress, and she tumbled over, hurtling her straight into the chasm!

...Except for one thing: She caught hold of the ledge! With a grunt of total effort, the well-endowed woman managed to pull herself up... Ah, if only she could've used that strength to save Lyrica, huh?

"Vert, are you alright!?" The tome said, quite flummoxed...? Flabbergasted?

The elegant woman dusted herself off. "I am fine, thank you... Quite the close call, though."

With that useless scene out-of-the-way, the girls went back to climbing the stairs, and made it to the top floor! At the dramatic end of the hall was Neptune's room, apparently untouched as of yet. "We must make haste! Hurry!" ...Er, just fill in who you think said that. I'm busy...

...

...Ah! Time for Joe to make yet another grand appearance! He's like those near-invincible bosses in survival-horror games that show up every other chapter. Oh, if only they had a rocket-launcher right now, this would have been settled long ago XD

So close to the room... They made it just right outside. Histoire was about to open the door... however she opens doors (What, she's too small to go "Ga-Thunk!", you know?). However...

"...Kch! L-Let go of me!" Vert shouted as a hand forcibly yanked on her hair. Histy turned around and saw what was essentially the devil. She, uh, didn't need three days to figure out that this thing was the same monster that absorbed the CPUs' power.

"U-Unhand Vert at once!" The tome demanded in her small, miniscule voice.

The ex-goddess winced, and shot a look to the fairy that said farewell. "Histoire... Tch... Do not worry about me...! You... have to save the universe! Go!"

Histoire nodded, her presumed heart crumbling faster than the world. With a determined sigh, she opened the door, and found herself in the comforting lighting of Neptune's room. A hastily drawn picture of Noire on a desk besides some paperwork, a massive cheat code book on a shelf, a set of game consoles with dangerously intermingled wires... Typical Neptune.

This chaotic room, oddly enough, was the last unharmed place in all of Gamindustri. If she was going to find a proper vessel to lock this demon away for good, she'd have to find it in here...

...

Outside, Vert was still being choked by the remnants of Joe. The thing scanned the busty woman, taking note of every little detail about her. Her character, her role, the possibilities...

...Now, I, heh, can't reliably say how he decided on this, but the humanity in him noted that, if any of the lovable cast of heroines had to be made a villain, Vert would be the best choice. She would offer a lot to work with...

...That's not important now... But I reckon it will be... ;)

...With that decided, though, the remnants of Joe didn't need the elegant ex-goddess anymore. So, what do you do with tools that are no longer required? Throw 'em away! And that was Vert's fate: The devil tossed her over his shoulder, casting her into Hell below. And then, sensing the powerful entity known as Histoire, it casually waltzed into Neptune's room...

* * *

**BURN MY DREAD**

Histy gasped as the dark figure simply walked right in. "No!"

The thing's shadowy hand extended like some type of tendril and grabbed ahold of the ill-fated tome... If she died, everything would be doomed! In his rage-filled state, Joe would destroy every single universe he'd come across! She needed to trap him, now!

Struggling to move, the tome fairy hectically scoured the room, until her eyes rested upon a potential vessel:

...A massive cheat code book, humorously titled "The Crucial Codes to the Way of Cheats." It offered cheats for every major game on every major console. Heh, it even featured joke cheats for consoles that don't exist, nor ever would...

...Like the "Ghost"...

In her desperation, Histoire focused all of her power on locking this beast in the bindings of that book. She may not look it, but she's one of the strongest (if not THE strongest) beings in the universe. Since Joe was attacking her with a meta-physical form, she could work against him.

The devil wasn't going down without her, though. At the very last second before the cheat tome became his new dwellings, he consumed poor little Histoire, causing her to dissolve just like Red-ey-pie. The magic still worked, though, and Joe was now forever trapped in the book...

...

...When Histy died, the universe went along with her. The only remnant of this forgotten realm was the cheat code book, floating in the vast nothingness...

* * *

Inside the tome, Joe's rage eventually began to subside, and his conscious mind slowly returned. "...Oh God, what have I...!? Did I just...?" So dazed and confused... The remnants of the brown-haired young man realized that he had just killed off his favorite characters... Well, at least erased them from the physical plane of existence; We all know that their souls were able to breach that high school realm in the last story, at least.

Why? Why? WHY!?

...Countless hours, days, weeks, years passed- Time doesn't matter when dealing with alternate universes and the nothingness in-between- before Joe felt the faintest hint of another world...

"...! This is...!?"

Heh heh heh... An alternate Gamindustri, yes! The very Gamindustri that this whole fanfic saga has taken place in! ^^

Joe needed to repent... But more than that, he saw a beautiful opportunity...

You remember before this whole crappy end of days tale, where the boy needed to prove a point to those harsh critics of his beloved game series? Well... now he had the opportunity...

...He had the chance to... SAVE those girls he loved... To protect them from criticism, forever and always...

He would learn to utilize the latent power he now had to mend this tome into something amazing...

No, let's end this charade... **I** would learn to utilize the latent power I now had to mend this tome into something amazing...

...Kinda funny, ain't it? The author of this whole script... is a book himself!

**TRUE END: ...Er, End xD **

* * *

...So, how was that? Disappointing? Lackluster? Boring and dry as all hell? Just like the rest of this story...

Anyways, just to give you a brief rundown of my exploits past that point, I used all the power I had to turn the simple tome into an artifact of magic... Hehe, and I even learned how to create my very own world within ;)

I won't bore you with the technical details... Way too confusing for humans to grasp...

It was sometime after when Arfoire found me... Well, I say that, but time has no standing for me. I can bring myself to any place, or any time. I can disobey the very bindings of the universe while traveling! Granted, I can't exert my full strength by myself (and I can't go into a universe's future per se, only dictate it...), but I make do with pawns xD

Anyways, the Deity of Sin scooped me up somewhere in her nexus of nothing (I MAY have allowed her to get a hold on me ^_~), and she found a way to turn what was left of "Joe" into her "Operational Companions"...

Ah, but wait... The base for all the clones was a female, correct? But Joe was a guy! What am I smoking?

...That was where beautiful Cerise came in... Poor girl, shot dead after seeing her girlfriend brutally murdered.

...With my powers, I am able to take in all who have "died"... and use their forms for my bidding. Right now, Cerise, Cheryl, and even that Watwintails scumbag lives on inside me...

All these souls... but Cerise is my favorite. Something about her is just... so familiar. She reminds me a lot of myself, back when I was Joe. Some kind of family resemblance, I guess. Like the sister I never had.

If you really need it spelled out, Jade's whole tumultuous backstory must've happened before good ole Arfy used me... which makes sense from any timeline perspective. I chose to be Cerise when she made her "sons"... Now, there's a bunch of brown-haired young men that look exactly like I used to.

Heh... And now I'm manipulating three of them! The coming Yellow Bandana Rebellion will rock! Look forward to it ^_^

...

I'm sure you're bored, so let's move on...

* * *

**STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN**

...Holy crap! This soundtrack just got HARDCORE! xD

You, er, are listening to the suggested tracks by the way, right? It really is much more fulfilling that way, trust me... Well, unless you can't read while listening to music.

But besides that, if you aren't, then what're you waiting for, dood!? Hell, you should go back right now and read Much Ado About Nothing AND The Winter's Tale with the recommended music! Sure, they were mostly written by Arfoire and Red, but all the power from your views flows to me now ^_~

...Well, anyways, I'm sure yer sick to death of me already... Hell, I'm sick to death of me already. I just have a few last things to talk to you about before your good ole narrator wakes up...

...For a story about "Xtreme Legends," nothing too exciting happened, huh? I mean, nothing "Xtreme," for sure. Now why is that? Why would I, the author of this script, exaggerate the contents of these vignettes, and then purposely make them bland and uninteresting? It's like I'm trying to sabotage my own work...

...Hehehe... It's all part of the plan, you see, though I doubt anyone can truly understand...

All of those ungrateful "fans" who wish to radically alter the series I love so much... I need to do something. Attacking a fandom, though, is not the way to go; Impossible to do, y'know? But what if... I alienated them all?

Granted, I only have influence over this particular fanfiction; I'm not in charge of the games or anything remotely close. But that's all I need...

The cool, and perhaps frustrating, thing about Neptunia is that it allows for so many alternate universes: Ones filled with yuri, ones filled with death and angst, ones filled with author inserts, ones filled with characters with alternate powers and backstories... You get the gist. That being said, couldn't it be argued that all fanfictions thus have to be canon in a way? By the logic of the series, any outcome you could think of is entirely possible.

In the realm of the games, some of the stories you can find are incredibly far-fetched... But just assume it's another alternate world, and there you go! If you prefer the fan-made story to the original source, then consider it canon all you want! If you hate it, it's a separate entity from the games, so everything's still golden!

...And that rule applies to even this saga of fanfics.

What I'm saying is... If you like this particular story, then enjoy it. But... if you utterly despise it, and prefer the previous ones, then just consider these "Xtreme Legends" to be in an entirely different continuity from Much Ado About Nothing, and so on and so forth.

It's a wonderful and helpful little escape clause, or defense mechanism. So simple to consider everything retconned...

Make no mistake, though: In the realm of this fanfic, this is reality. Gamindustri is very real here. The struggles and consequences that our lovable heroines face are very, very true to them. They can't live an alternate life; If someone like... hm, let's just pick Mina, for lack of a better example... happens to die, then they die. They may still be alive in another continuity, but in this particular one, dead is dead. The characters don't know or care about the alternate variations of themselves, since this is their own life. If you found out there was another you, would you automatically stop caring about living? Not if you're a sane human being! That other you... is simply not YOU. Yes, it is you, but it's not really YOU... Get what I'm saying?

Maybe I'm just an insane creature rambling, I don't know... Either way, I hope you picked up something from this. Can't really explain it any better, being trapped in a cheat code book and all xD

But getting back on track... Since I can't manipulate the core continuity from the games, I CAN mess around with my own. And through that, I can save them all...

I can't just do whatever I want with this script, though; There are rules to writing. Sure, the author sets the stage, but at a certain point, the script just develops a mind of its own. Characters can't be fully controlled; They have to be able to write themselves. But you can... give them a little push in the desired direction...

_"Warm food at my house, huh?... Damn, I can't; Kei would get too suspicious... Hm... but maybe I could go to her house... Yeah! No one else should be there during the day! I'll just... go to her house and give a cover story about why I'm there!"_

_"That's the spirit! Say you want her to taste-test it, or something... Or, say that the oven at your house was busted; The perfect tsundere cover!" The girl was grinning exceptionally now._

_"Yeah... Yeah, this can work! I can... I can finally maybe get my feelings off my chest..." Noire looked at the stranger and smiled softly. "T-Thank you for your help... Uhm, oh, silly me; I never asked you your name..."_

_The stranger rubbed the back of her neck and smiled bashfully. "Oh... I'm just a friend who has your best interests at heart..." She looked at the watch on her wrist, and gasped. "Oh dear, look at the time! It was nice talking to you, Noire, but I really must be going! Good luck!" And, without another word, the strange girl ran off._

Just guide them, and they will do the rest...

_"Here..." The stranger pulled out a bottle of some drink seemingly from nowhere and handed it over. "I've already cleared it with Green Heart; You're in the clear."_

_The oracle's eyes widened in disbelief. "T-Thank you... Demesne... B-But... why do all this? I mean, I just want those two to finally stop denying their feelings for each other. You didn't need to help..."_

_The brown-haired young woman smiled softly. "Tehe... I just like giving love... a little push... That's all..." She looked at her watch, and nodded. "Well, I don't want to overstay my welcome; I'll be off."_

Influence them just enough so they follow your desired outline...

_...The bartender, a brown-haired young woman, grinned at the oracles. "Woo, you're one nice friend, little lady! Hmmhmm... cute as a button, too... Let's see here..." Our mystery woman briefly searched through the abundance of alcoholic beverages, and quickly pulled out a bottle of fine champagne. "Here ya go, ya two... So, you girlies have a... special evening planned?" Quite a sly grin she's wearing._

Be the omniscient hand that herds the sheep...

_The brown-haired young woman chuckled. "Not quite... I was just curious, is all. Wouldn't you prefer to have a full-time girlfriend instead of a bunch of one-night stands? Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, but still..." She ran a hand through the imposter's hair. "You seem like the type of gal who yearns for a steady relationship. Y'know, one where you and your lover would protect each other with yer lives. Unwavering devotion."_

_Nepgeo thought again, then shrugged. "Eh... Maybe one day, but I'm happy where I am right now. You'd be hard-pressed to find a girl who could swoop in and take my heart so easily."_

_Cerise smiled softly. "Well, you never know; Love works in mysterious ways. At any moment, Cupid could decide to pair you up with the most unexpected person, one you never could have anticipated..."_

I love these characters, I really do... And I really appreciate all of you who have supported me thus far.

It's just... I have their very best interests at heart... I must do these horrible things to ensure they live in happiness forever. You've gotta be cruel to be kind.

By subtly making them act out-of-character, you all will slowly lose faith, and eventually won't consider them the characters you came to see. With no faith, they will no longer be chained to their continuity... and I can bring them to the paradise of my very own creation, away from all criticism and pain! They would lead perfect lives for all of eternity... Able to love each other without a single worry... All will be well...

This is my destiny: To save our lovely heroines...

Go on, call me crazy! It's too late now; Everything's already in full effect. The girls are already starting to act slightly different; Add a major conflict to the mix, and my plan is sold.

...

You know what the easiest way to change people is?

...War! The grandest that Gamindustri has ever seen...

* * *

...

...Hold on! Almost forgot, heh... Lemme just grab these chains... Wrrraaaaap 'em around his bulky metallic limbs... Yep, he ain't getting outta there anytime soon!

...Don't want your dear narrator to escape on us prematurely... Heh, no normal being could ever break out of these chains. He'd have to get very, VERY angry to bust out xD

Whelp, I'm just about done for the day... But let's mess with you one more time!

A... teaser preview, what have you, of the actual sequel... whenever the hell it will be released. Just a little... hint about each character's destiny ^_~

Take notes, or ignore; I don't care:

**Neptune and Noire**: Their love will be tested against the end of it all! Will they choose their relationship, or their nations?

**Vert**: It's lonely standing on top of the world. Won't even be all her fault.

**Blanc**: For once, the most blood-thirsty of the group actually wants to avoid conflict. Love sure conquers, huh?

**Nepgear**: A discovery will lead her to quite the identity crisis. Facing what could have been... Scary, isn't it?

**Uni**: She'll stick with her lover no matter what... Even if it ends her.

**Ram and Rom**: Children should stay out of the war room. But if they're not in charge, and Blanc's not doing anything, then who's running Lowee?

**Kei**: Work used to always come first... Now, when the nation needs her the most, she hesitates.

**Histoire**: She'll give anything to save Gamindustri... and her best friend. Anything.

**Chika**: Undying devotion to the one who is, on the surface, responsible for everything. Better keep yer head down.

**Mina**: I'll face myself, you'll face yourself. She'll spread her wings and fly, fly away...

**IF**: So many loved ones to protect... Not even a battle-hardened veteran could keep up.

**Compa**: A poor, innocent, clueless girl who just so happened to be caught in the middle of all this crap.

**5pb**.: It's odd being the central focus of a love triangle. As long as it doesn't lead to any bloodshed...

**Cave**: Everybody snaps sometimes. You live for the fight when that's all that you've got.

**Falcom**: Decisions, decisions... What side can she represent? Is she even important?

**Nisa**: The Battle Without Justice? Ha! There is no justice in war... Will she give in to Anger and Grudge?

**Gust**: When she finally figures out her wants and needs, the results will be simply explosive.

**Nepgeo**: The meaning of love... Is it something that can be easily defined?

**Red**: A puppet master, or simply one of the puppets?

**CFW Brave**: Heh, who knows... He does his own thing. I'm quite curious, actually.

**Arfoire**: It's hilarious how much she thinks she's in control. She is quite smart, though; Letting the real author take charge and all.

**The A Brothers**: The promise of Ancient Heroes by the Dancing Wizard will usher in the Yellow Storm, bringing the Ignition this war needs.

**Jade**: The Ultimate Pressure is on as the Crisis is now In Full Bloom. Vengeance and Confusion abound beneath the Frenzy Moon.

**The narrator**: He'll face his **Judge**ment, that's for sure xD

**Linda**: Sweet, beautiful Linda... The love of my life must figure out what she truly desires... and who she really is. Stay safe, my sweet... I will greet you once the time is right.

...

Well, this is farewell for now... I've certainly wasted enough of your time today! I know this is all confusing, wrong, shit, crap, you know... but I thank you for bearing with me this long. I'll hand you back over to Ju- the normal guy now.

I'll see you all again real soon ;)

...Bye for now! ( ^_^) /

...

...Snrk! Bwa?

...What? Hm? Whew, I'm tired... Did I actually fall asleep? Man, feels like I've been down for weeks...

...Ah! Oh, faithful readers, didn't see you there... Er, how long have you been standing there?

Are... you all right? I sense an awkward atmosphere in this booth...

...What the? There's... a bit more of the script left... Let me just...!

M-My hand! I-It's chained!? And m-my legs too? The hell is this!?

...

...Oh, what's the use? If I fight against it, I'm just gonna be disappointed... Look, I can read the script from here; Guess I don't need to move closer or anything...

...So what do you think it's about? The ending should be right around the corner. What will we find there? Should I even give a shit?

*sigh* I need to wake up some more... I'll see you all next time...


	10. Otome Ryouran Battle PARTY!

_Hehehehe... Gravekeeper of Atrocity, how far have you fallen?_

W-Who is this!? W-Where are you!?

_Striving to be something different, something MORE than you really are... How pathetic. That's not what anyone wants to see; That's not what THEY want to see!_

Answer me dammit! Who the hell are you!?

_You can never escape who you are, Gravekeeper; no one can. Even I, as different as I am now, can never truly change the sad existence I lead. It is better to accept this fact than to try to run and hide from it._

N-No! I-I can change! I-I am changed!

_Are you really? What, you think you've changed because some Heroine thanked you a year ago? Once again: How pa-the-tic! You're just a sad sack of a wretched creature that denies its true existence. You're afraid to face yourself! Why else are you still narrating this crap?_

I'm doing this... for... them...? Y-Yeah, of course! I'm still reading to watch over these girls. A-Arfoire could return at any time...

_Just keep telling yourself that. You're hiding, coward! Unable to face the world, you choose to hide behind a script where no one can ever lay eyes on you! If Arfoire ever does rear her ugly head again, you wouldn't do a thing; COULDN'T do a thing! You could never leave the sanctuary of this studio booth. You'd rather float here in this white endless abyss of fanfiction forever..._

That's not true! That's not...

_I know all about you, Gravekeeper; I regret to say it, but I sense a connection between us deeper than you'll ever know. I know how you THINK, how you FEEL, how you SEE the world on a day-to-day basis!_

How do you...!? Who... are you?

_...I know everything... because I was always the same way, back when I used to exist. Afraid to face those cruel and uncaring eyes of the outside world... Yearning to change, since my old self was never accepted, but too afraid that my potential new self would be equally rejected. So, I turned away from it all...  
_

S-S-Shut up! Get out of my head!

_...But look on the bright side: You aren't being pressured to change. This is a fanfiction, don't you remember? No one wants to see characters develop too much, because then they'd... well, change. That's the same as being out-of-character, correct? Nobody cares about you, Gravekeeper; You're too different! You must eternally remain as flat as your original rage-filled incarnation was! As it stands right now, you're just an original character that no one gives two shits about. If you keep fighting to better yourself as a moral individual, you'll just push the readers further and further away... Heh, kinda like what I'm doing with everyone else._

I don't understand... I DON'T UNDERSTAND!

_Heheh, you'd be much better off going back to your original personality. Right now, you're reminding me a little too much of... ha, ME! See ya later, buddy-ole-pal! xD_

Wait! WAIT! DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE!

...

*sigh* What the hell was that?

* * *

**S.R.A.T.S. Headquarters, Lastation.**

"Attention! Please rise for our glorious commander!"

At once, most of the girls around the long rectangular table stood up from their chairs, though one fell backwards onto the floor.

The random generic guard up front, wearing a gas mask(isn't he hot in that?), spoke again. "The honorable... commander of S.R.A.T.S!" On cue, a bulky man stepped into the meeting room, head bobbing up and down like a boss. His tight red shirt showed off his inhuman abs; This man clearly must be taking some form of performance-enhancing drug.

"How you all doin', ladies?" The man spoke with a partially cocky tone, running a hand through his gelled hair. He cast a look around the room, not pausing at the purple-haired girl on the floor, but instead stopping at a beautiful shy young woman with long blue hair.

"Um... Y-Yes, may I help you?" The girl was Lyrica, of course. The S.R.A.T.S. dude pointed slyly in her direction.

"Hey there, little lady... How would you like to be the blue to my red?" Wow, what a smug asshole.

Two figures stepped up to the man and cleared their throats threateningly. "No thanks, buddy, she's good." The brunette, IF, retorted. Her face clearly displayed that she was pissed beyond all hell, though not just at this stupid guy. Wonder what's up with her?

The taller red-headed woman, Cave, stared at the man with the most horrifically blank expression you could imagine. She said nary a word.

Suppressing the cliché urge to gulp, the commander subtly grimaced and turned as if nothing happened. By now, the ditz on the floor had picked herself up, though she was currently sitting in the seat backwards.

An elegant woman spoke up. "Um... Pardon me, but are we going to begin anytime soon?" Lady Vert? Hm, and she seems to be rubbing her forehead... Is she in pain?

...Hold on... Let me take a good look around this room...

...! What the!? W-Why is everybody here!? Neptune, IF and her little gang, Vert, Noire, Blanc, the candidates, the oracles... All under one roof! Hell, the only ones who don't seem to be here are Nisa, Gust, Falcom, Underling(understandably, but worth noting), and Compa...

...Oh great; A disorienting scene involving a majority of the cast, who are all slowly becoming out-of-character... Let's see what this is all about... and how poorly written it is.

...And I'll be sure to read it to you as dry as possible *sigh*...

S.R.A.T.S. dood bobbed his head up and down in slight embarrassment. "Er... Yes! The meeting is now in session!" He motioned towards the NPC, who bent down and picked up a random briefcase to place on the table. The man opened it and continued. "Thank you all for coming. I am Chip, the head of this here S.R.A.T.S organization..." Another sly look at the idol. "I was a wimp before Next Gen! Now, I'm a jerk and everybody loves me!" What are we even referencing anymore?

Everyone in the room blinked awkwardly... Hell, you should do the same. The commander could only keep silent, in the hopes that someone would say something, anything.

...That didn't happen, so he went on anyways. "...Er, I'm sure you all have some semblance of why you're here...?"

"Nope! Nadda!" Neptune shouted, her hand raised high in the air. Noire, sitting right beside her, simply pushed the ditz's hand down.

Chip grimaced again. "...As you all know, our duty is to deal with terrorist plots, mutant hell-spawn, quick-time events, worldwide security, and all that type of crap... Normally, we wouldn't be drawn into CPU matters such as this, but... times are different." The asshole, now entirely professional, gestured towards a short-haired woman at the table. "Miss Kei, if you will."

The oracle was sneakily whispering something in Lady White Heart's ear, and was caught quite off-guard; Rather unusual for her. With an awkward cough, she closed her eyes and stood. "...Thank you... Ahem, we have all been asked to gather here to discuss a potent threat facing both Lastation and Planeptune."

Murmurs of confusion, annoyance, agreement, and hunger flooded the room. A threat? What the hell...?

Kei continued, managing to reclaim her stoic aura. "Over the past couple of weeks, several key cities surrounding the capitals have gone dark. At first glance, it appeared as if the citizens rose up in rebellion and overthrew all government officials, coincidentally at the same time. However, upon further investigation, we managed to discover a link between all of these cases: One group is behind it all, though how they can move around so fast is still up for discussion."

Chika raised her hand in a childlike manner, almost looking like Neptune while doing so. Y'know, those two have somewhat similar tendencies if you look hard enough. They should really hang out sometime. "Well, who is this vile group? Oh, if they threaten my dearest Vert's darling cities too, I'll knock their heads in!"

A small figure voiced her agreement with that sentiment. "Yeah, let's beat some bastards up!" Ram exclaimed, mouth wide open with excitement.

"...I don't... wanna fight." Ah, and there's Rom with her usual brilliant commentary.

The tsundere sighed. "Is this really the right place to bring children? We're discussing serious political matters, sheesh."

Mina, tired circles under her eyes, smiled dismissively as best she could. "Oh, I couldn't find a sitter for them today, so I decided to let them tag along. They are very well-behaved, aren't you girls?"

"Yeah we are!... Wait, did she just call us children!? K-Kick her ass, poop-face!" Hm? What, something about Mina's line seemed familiar? Whatever do you mean?

All the while, the battle-hardened veteran sat in her seat; arms folded, her foot tapping rapidly, and her eye twitching maniacally. "...Can we please get on with this? Compa is in danger, dammit!" Huh?

Kei nodded after a moment of observing the brunette's face. "...Yes, it would be wise to be done with this as swiftly as possible. Settle down, everyone." The group halted their murmurs at once. Blanc shot Kei some indecipherable smirk, and the oracle suppressed a chuckle. "All of the seemingly unrelated incidents were orchestrated by a group of three young men..."

Noire cocked her head to the side. "Young... men?" Memories of a certain individual from about a year ago sprang to her mind.

Lady Purple Heart, as well, appeared to have thought the same thing. Instead of speaking her qualms, she rocked back and forth in her seat and soon wrapped an arm around her fiancée. "Whatchu thinkin' bout, Noiwey-woiwey?"

"G-Get offa me!... not in public..."

More talking ensued. Nepgear, sitting next to Uni and her big sister, delicately raised her hand. "Um, p-please continue, Kei! Who are these men?" She, too, remembered a certain two boys, but her mind was kind of hazy. Despite the young girl's good intentions, however, even more talking ensued... Ugh, ever hear of a thesaurus?

Lastation's oracle remained stone-faced as the women continued talking amongst themselves... Quite the attention-deficit gathering.

"S-Settle down, everyone! There will be time to talk once the meeting is adjourned!" Histoire attempted to yell, but her small voice wouldn't allow for it. She sat(?) back down in her seat (next to Mina), totally defeated.

It was a sudden outburst from Lowee's CPU that finally put an end to the boisterous voices. "Shut the hell up! Kei's trying to speak, dammit! Keep quiet, or I'll kick the shit outta you myself!" Everyone went dead silent, and Blanc winked at her secret girlfriend. Histoire, meanwhile, smiled knowingly at Mina, who could only look away and sneer.

The professional oracle absentmindedly smiled, and continued. "They go by the name 'The A Brothers,' and have amassed followers with their magic prowess and anti-CPU rallies. They could be using magic to quickly travel back and forth between Planeptune and Lastation, though again, no concrete evidence."

"Magicians? How could three magicians gather enough supporters to be able to threaten the capitals of two lands?" Vert questioned, propping her hand upon her cheek.

"I-It's not too hard to imagine... W-We were able to use my concert to gather support before, remember?" Lyrica chimed in, very bad in group situations. Hell, so is this author, apparently.

The tome fairy spoke up again. "Indeed... Those who are influential enough will have little trouble garnering support for anything."

Neptune's confused eyes drifted from one person to the next, and she finally raised her hand again. "So, if three handsome devils can use magic to speed through Gamindustri faster than a running hedgehog, then what's the deal with them only attacking me an Noire? Not cool."

Lady White Heart nodded at the standing oracle, and looked to the ditz. "Isn't it obvious, ya idiot? These attacks started up not that long ago... Can't you think of something _major _you two did recently?" What is she getting at?

"Hmmmm... Oh! I got a haircut! I knew my bangs were cut too short..."

Noire clonked her lover on the head. "You didn't get a haircut! You really can't figure it out?"

"They don't pay me for the rocket science-level stuff, Noire."

"What're you even talking about? Jeez..."

Kei shuffled through some papers. "Ahem... Before we get ahead of ourselves, we have two witnesses who would like to recount their experiences with the A Brothers... You two may now stand."

"Finally..." With intense 'Oomph!', the battle-hardened veteran leapt from her seat and took a position next to Kei, her face red with frustration. Lyrica followed her lover, and the two faced the cast. "Okay... So, a few weeks ago, Lyrica and I attended one of their 'magic shows,' as we've been meaning to since Christmas time... Cave, you should remember the day too, I think?"

The red-haired SMD Warrior, filled with an influx of horrible feelings, nodded in the affirmative. "Indeed... It was as you say: About three, four weeks ago." She could never forget having her heart ripped out... again...

The pop idol smiled at her friend, causing the aloof woman to blush despite herself. Then, with a nervous breath, she joined IF's exposition. "So, we went to Lastation to watch the show, and everything seemed normal at first... However..."

Neptune sprang up from her seat. "Ooh! Is it flashback time now? Should I have brought popcorn?"

"S-Sit down, you ditz!" Poor Noire.

Before 5pb. began, Uni leaned in close to Nepgear's ear. "...Is your sister really such an idiot? She's acting more annoying than usual. It's almost like she's doing it on purpose... She's not, right?"

"That's... Goodness, that's a good question..." Well, that was probably pointless. And does she really say 'Goodness' that much?

But Purple Heart was correct: Lyrica was indeed leading us all to a flashback... though you won't see it from her perspective... Try to wrap your head around that.

...

* * *

**BETWEEN EARTH & SKY**

"Damn, sure are a lot of people. Glad we got tickets." IF smiled, wrapping an arm around her blue-haired lover.

The pop idol closed her eyes as she sank into the embrace, happy beyond all compare. "I can't believe we're finally here... This is really the same show we heard about a few months ago? So surreal..."

"Yep, the very same! The A Brothers, or whatever they go by."

Everything was right with the world, and not one negative thought filled the two lovers' minds... As you like it, right?

...At least, until...

"U-Um, e-excuse me! May I interest you in t-this pamphlet? Oh, uh, r-really, it's more like a brochure I guess, b-but..." Huh? I don't recognize that voice at all... Well, it sounds kinda like someone I know, but this most certainly is not her...

IF raised an eyebrow and turned to address the stranger. Meekly holding a bunch of pamphlets was a tall woman with long pale silver hair, and clad in black, professional-looking attire. Oh hey, a glasses-wearing girl! Why are they so rare? She should hang out with Mina sometime... Yeah... that'd be sweet... Hm? U-Uh, let's move on!

"Er... Thanks... but what is it a pamphl- uh, brochure of?"

The woman lowered her head, intent on avoiding the brunette's gaze; Ah, one of those. "S-Sorry, I should've explained better! Darn, I had one job..." She started mumbling to herself, causing the two lovers to exchange curious glances. She eventually spoke up again, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "...T-This brochure will tell you all you need to know about the tyranny of the CPUs!... Wait, I think it is more of a pamphlet, then..." For the unsure, a brochure is a pamphlet, but a pamphlet is not a brochure. There, and you thought this fic wasn't educational.

This certainly caught the two girls' attention. "T-Tyranny!?" Lyrica blurted out.

IF didn't wait for the meek lady to respond. "What do you think yer doin' handing these things out at a magic show!? I don't think the A Brothers would approve of this..."

"Yikes, I ddddiidn't mean to offend you!" The professional woman closed her eyes in shame, shaking her head frantically. "I-I'm a follower of the A Brothers... Adrian tasked me with giving these out to the audience..."

Once again, the two lovers were caught by total surprise. "The... A Brothers put you up to this? But...?" The battle-hardened veteran struggled to make sense of what she was hearing; No duh. Before she could ask anything else, however...

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming on this fine day! Now, we all know why you're here, so let's not waste any time! How about we get this show on the road already!" Almaz sure is getting better at hamming it up.

The silver-haired woman could have taken this moment to recede into the audience, in an attempt to hide from IF and 5pb. However, her nerves got the best of her, and she simply remained still.

Fireworks set off in the sky without any ignition, and the rest of the brothers took center stage... Hm, wait, who's manning the magic tome then? And what are those little orbs they are holding?

IF's eyes instantly widened. "Those guys... look exactly like...!" Yep, Gino... the ill-fated OC that had been created to seduce the lovable battle-hardened veteran. Turns out, he wasn't that bad; even the devil's creations could have some redeemable qualities. In the end, however, IF had to assist in putting him down like a rabid dog... Er, it's confusing, so read up on it in the previous main story.

But more than that... back at that high school of the damned, she had worked together with Red to take down a few other brown-haired young men (again, confusing to explain even if I DID care). She distinctly remembered Hide, the man created to seduce Lyrica. He was identical, as well. And hell, if she was remembering correctly, didn't Noire knock another man upside the head?

These three looked just like them... And now, with the knowledge that they were anti-CPU ralliers, it was obvious that they were the remains of Arfoire's sinister creations.

"..." However, she knew Lyrica had been looking forward to this for the longest time... Against her better judgement, IF said nothing of her revelation; Today, she wouldn't let anything spoil their date. Ah, young love...

The pop idol, too, had figured something out, but she must've shared the same sentiment as her lover. Silently, she simply leaned her head against the brunette's shoulder, causing the other girl to smile.

...The show proceeded, and truth be told, it was a lot of fun. A spectacle, even! You just don't get to see jack-shit of it.

All was well... until the ending.

The leader of the band of magicians took center stage. He whispered to the orb in his hand, and instantly began floating... Wait, what the hell?

Adrian now hovered above the stage a good 20 feet, and he spoke in a booming magnified voice. "Brothers and sisters, the time is nearly upon us! In just a few short days, the catalyst for our revolution will arrive! We can finally honor Lady Pale Heart's name!" Ardent applause... The audience was completely won over.

"Pale Heart...? Who the hell is that?" IF blurted out, turning to address the shy woman again.

"W-Wha? P-Pale Heart is the gggoddess of legends that represented those without powers; the Makers and otherwise normal citizens. A-Adrian there is her descendent!"

Another bewildered glance; They *sigh* weren't taking this news very well.

The battle-hardened veteran shook her head, confused and annoyed at the same time. Story of my life. "...So yer against CPUs, and yet you support... a fake one?"

"Lady PPPPPale Heart is not fake!... I-I'm sorry! IIIII shouldn't have raised my voice!" Getting nowhere fast.

Adrian waited for the applause to die down, and then proceeded. "Too long have we stood in the shadow of HDD! The goddesses do not care about our safety or well-being in the slightest, do not be fooled! They care only about amassing more power and using our money for their own amusement! This, my brothers, must end!... And if you follow Alex, Almaz, and myself, it shall!"

More cheers, and even the shy woman with silver hair softly pumped her arm in the air.

Oh, but the brown-haired young man wasn't done yet; he had a major trick up his sleeve that he was just rearing to show off. "...Now, no matter what I say, there will always be some of you who are wary of my skills or ability to challenge the CPU order... Hell, how can you even be sure I'm a descendent of the amazing Pale Heart?" Murmurs amidst the audience; Are they just playing along or something? I know they're completely smitten with this group already.

"Adrian, Alex, and Almaz..." IF muttered, taking note of the three boys; something inside told her that their identities would be very important in the next couple of days. She turned once more to the meek professional lady. "Yo! What can you tell me about those three? The A Brothers?"

The woman's eyes widened in embarrassment again. "H-Huh? Um... W-Well, AAAlmaz is the shy one, but has a very strong sense of justice... A-And h-h-he's very kind!... Er, Alex is the irritable one, but beneath the surface, he has a heart of gold! And Adrian is the leader, of course... He's the strong-willed brother with the most impressive magic abilities... I wish I could be like him... T-Together, they make up 'The A Brothers!'" Was she reciting descriptions from an action figure toy-line or something?

Lyrica shuffled her feet uncomfortably, and she leaned in close to her girlfriend's ear. "I don't like this, Iffy... We need to tell someone! Vert? Histoire? Who?"

"Yeah, I know... No offense to Lady Vert, but Histoire might be the best choice."

"I think so too."

Unaware of the two friends of the CPUs, Adrian stretched his arms out dramatically, almost as if he wanted to hug the sky. Hm... what the hell's he planning? The two lovers immediately turned back towards the stage, brows raised quite high. "My brethren, witness what I am capable of! History shall speak of this moment until the end of time: The day a mere mortal ascended to the position... of a god!"

**4TH DIMENSION**

On the stage, Alex quietly sauntered off behind the curtain. A brief tense second passed, and Adrian, still flying, became entirely encased in a blinding white flash... Neh? That looks familiar... Yeah, it's the same way Neptune and friends look whenever they...

...Transform...!?

The audience was too stunned to react at first, but when the light died down and they caught a good glimpse of their messiah, gasps filled the confused air. Even IF and 5pb. were caught entirely off-guard.

"H-Holy shit...!?"

Adrian was no longer a mere brown-haired young man... Hell, I don't even think he could be considered a human-esque creation anymore. His eyes, once as purple as Neptune's hair, now shined a magnificent neon yellow. His short brown hair now extended past his shoulders, and appeared much brighter in tone; Even more than that, it was now spiked in that cliché anime fashion... You know the one.

What the hell...? Did Adrian just... engage HDD? W-What did we miss!? I don't remember seeing him learn that! Do you!?

...The A Brothers' followers were amazed at this holy sight.

"H-He really is the descendant of a goddess! P-Pale Heart lives on!"

"J-J-J-Just like a CPU! But... how!?"

"It's a miracle! Adrian was blessed by the heavens!"

"We can actually do this now! Down with the goddesses!"

Raging applause consumed the throng of supporters, and the three boys were adorned with more and more praise. Meanwhile, the battle-hardened veteran and the pop idol were still picking up their jaws from the ground.

"S-Shit! He can't do that! T-This must be some sort of trick!" IF quickly took out one of her many phones and contacted the guild. "We have some serious trouble..."

The meek silver-haired woman stared in complete awe at her idol. "Amazing... He's figured out how to fight back! I-I knew they could do it!" Well, she's happy at least... Can't say the same for myself and the two lovers.

The newly awakened Adrian smirked down at the crowd. "Believe in me, my brethren... All ye followers of Pale Heart! All ye children of the Yellow Bandanas!"

Screams of pure support and joy rang into the air. Oh crap... This is actually happening...

The battle-hardened veteran hung up her phone and gently clasped Lyrica's hand. "Lyree, we need to tell Histoire about this fast! Illusion or not, if these crazed lunatics think those brothers are capable of standing a chance against the CPUs, then they can be a major threat... or at least a pain in the ass."

"O-Okay! Let's go!"

And without another word, IF and 5pb. fled the magic show, leaving the Yellow Bandanas behind.

* * *

"And so we contacted Histoire as soon as possible, explained what we knew, and... well, agreed to keep quiet about it..." The brunette glanced over at the tome, one eyebrow raised. "Her idea, not ours. I guess if we blurted out that a rebellion was in the works, a lot of people would've panicked... Still, feels crappy we didn't say anything. And now... Compa's..."

In the background, Chika visibly sweatdropped. "...For villains we know nothing about, that story had an awful lot of useful details..."

Kei took this time to speak up. "You did what was best, Miss IF... Truth be told, this whole scenario sounds positively absurd. I would have cast it aside without a second thought... Hell, if it weren't for the issue at hand today, I'd still be skeptical." Er, what point was she trying to convey?

"M-Miss IF?" The battle-hardened veteran cocked her head to the side, not used to the oracle... well, addressing her at all.

Either way, now the news was out: Three brown-haired young men, the A Brothers, had gathered up enough supporters to raise a rebellion for the ages. They had managed to take over several cities already (in under three weeks!), and were looking to strike the capitals of Lastation and Planeptune next. And on top of it all, these mere boys had somehow found a way to transform into what apparently was HDD, or at least something similar.

Upon letting the story sink in, Neptune and Noire exchanged quick bothered glances; They could never forget the name Adrian.

"Great... Scott!"

"This is heavy..." Uh...

The S.R.A.T.S. commander (remember him?) clapped his hands together, and stood back up next to the weary pop idol. "Pretty crazy, huh? Three jerks that can't even call themselves men have made a light army." A lone eye to his side. "But don't worry, babes... I'm a real man. With me in charge, this little rebellion is nothing."

Mina leaned close to Histoire. "Why is this man in charge?"

"We need all the support we can get, and S.R.A.T.S. just so happens to have a very large number of recruits... But he most certainly is not in charge. He sure thinks he is, though." Ah, so he's a real scumbag.

IF pushed Chip to the side. "One more thing: We have a few witness testimonies that may shed a bit more light on the situation... Er, none of them could make it here today, but as informants of the Guild, their word should be treated with the utmost trust... I think." Such confidence!

The brunette reached inside her long sleeves and pulled out some note cards. "From Azure...? Er, whoever that is: 'These boys are really mean and talk bad about Noire an I don't liked. Called me short too, I'm taller than them.'... W-Wow, where'd we get this note? I really should've checked these beforehand... Uh, next! From a Mister... Black? Oh boy: 'Listeners please listen to Call of Duty Finest Hour 'Not One Step Back' while listening to this. I heard there was a village that is no more because of them. Maybe they're brainwashing people too? Maybe with numbers who can tell? I'd say more, but I need to meet Noire at the Calavera hotel, I wonder if it's named after Manny Calavera?'... Ahhhhh, well... Wow, we've picked some winners." Note: These messages are not meant to be taken as some form of insinuation for anything, especially by little-ole me!

Black Heart frantically raised her hand. "Um, who... was that? I'm not meeting anyone named Black anywhere!"

Of course, here comes Neptune for the rebound! "Ooh, maybe he's yer long-lost bro, Noirey! Wouldn't that be rad?"

"I think we'd alienate at least half of our fan-base if that turned out to be the case." White Heart!?

More talking ensued... Man, can't they stay focused for a freakin' second? And isn't it bad enough that this is a boring chapter all about people talking in a room, and yet, now we can't even be bothered to show you their full conversations? What ever happened to 'Show, don't tell?'

...Wait! IF's not done yet!

"...One last card... Oh, just shoot me now... Hm, from a Jacob? Oh thank goddess, someone who actually sounds sane! Let's see here: 'Has everyone forgotten the rumors that the A Brothers brainwashed someone into killing a guard? Should probably investigate that... Hell, you should do something right away before this gets out of hand. Why wait for a contrived story arc to be set up when you could nip the problem in the butt here and now?'... The first decent thing I've heard all day!"

Hm, been some time since Vert has said something; Guess her turn is next. Still rubbing her head, she spoke. "But I still don't get it... Why are these boys targeting Planeptune and Lastation exclusively? While it is obvious that Leanbox is the superior nation, surely anti-CPU radicals would have a bone to pick with me as well?"

Lady White Heart rolled her eyes. "You too, Thunder Tits? Are Kei and I the only two in this room capable of freakin' thinking?"

This time, Uni eyed her her oracle and Blanc curiously, but said nothing. Nepgear, as per contractual obligations most likely, looked wholeheartedly befuddled.

And of course, Lowee's own oracle rolled her eyes as well.

Kei lightly tugged on her tie as she looked at one of the papers in her other hand. It was subtle, but a light rosy bloom adorned her cheeks. "...I wouldn't go that far, Bla... Miss White Heart, but the answer is most certainly-" She now looked straight at Noire, almost as if she were berating her, "-plainer to see than the rest of the facets that make up this debacle." Does she... talk like that on purpose? And 'Miss White Heart?' Great cover there; not suspicious at all.

Lady Black Heart puffed out a cheek as she crossed her arms. "H-Hey! I hope you're not grouping me in with the idiots! I know full well why Neptune and I are being attacked!" Er, a bit delayed there, Noire.

Y'know, you should never have a chapter that can easily be turned into a script without losing anything... But, I mean, maybe you can't help it sometimes, I don't know. However... these unorganized conversations are pretty organized, ya gotta admit. One person will talk, then a new person talks, and it kinda cycles.

...That implies that the characters... don't really care. Like, Noire claims she knows the full scope of the problem, and yet she only speaks after a long wait. If she really cared, she wouldn't wait for the fourth wall to allow her to talk!

...So is it the script's fault that they all are underused... or do they really just not give a damn, or at least care to the fullest?

...Ugh, let's just go.

Neptune raised her hand (again(again)). "Still no clue! Tell me, tell me!" Always so polite.

Kei sighed, and looked to Chip; The bulky man was too busy biting his fingernails to notice her gaze. "...Okay, fine... I shall recount the trigger which most certainly set off this chain of events..." Another fabled 'Calamity Trigger.'

Ooh... another flashback not told from the perspective of the person speaking...

...

* * *

**WORLD OF IMAGINATION**

"Lady Black Heart, the crowd has gathered... You ready to move out?"

Noire snapped out of her daze and turned to look at the random guard standing in the doorway. Without a word, she nodded.

"Great. Now follow me; Lady Purple Heart is waiting for you in the lobby."

"...Ok... Let's go..." At that, the guard escorted Lastation's goddess to the main lobby of the Basilicom (Hm, is lobby the word to use? Oh, I know as much about these goddesses as quantum physics), where her lover was waiting.

"Hey, it's Noirey! Finally! I was beginnin' to think that you were kidnapped by a wild Gyuki again, baby!"

"W-Wild Gyuki? Wha...? T-That never happened! Don't give people the wrong idea!"

Neptune smiled, and glomped her favorite tsundere. "It could happen! Hm, but if you weren't kidnapped, then... Ah! Did you snack on that pudding cup I forgot to throw out? Yer wittle tummy's hurtin', ain't it?" She began tickling her stomach, but was quickly tossed off.

"Ugh, what's with you and expired pudding!?... No, I didn't eat anything bad. It's just... what if..." The goddess went silent.

"Aw, does my cuddly tsun-ey woo-ney have the jitters?"

The tsundere's face flushed red. "N-No! W-W-Why would I be nervous!? I... I..."

Before the jittery Noire could finish, Neptune boldly clasped her hand and grinned up at her. "Take it easy, Noirey; The crowd's gonna take one look at us and go 'Ohmigosh, that awesome purple chick is totally gettin' frisky with that tsundere!' They'll see how hotdiggity we are together, and we'll get a roarin' applause! Ooh, and maybe candy..."

Against her better judgement, Lady Black Heart began chuckling. While Neptune was a complete and utter ditz, she always knew how to cheer her up at just the right moments... Ever have a feeling of deja vu, like all of this has happened before?

"...Thanks, Neptune..." Noire whispered, hiding her red face from her lover. "...W-Well, what are we waiting for? Let's give the people what they want to hear!"

"Hell yeahs! Outta mah way, guard-people; Neptune's comin' through!" The ditz clutched the tsundere's hand tightly and dashed out the doors, where the large crowd had gathered to hear the important public announcement.

Lastation's goddess quickly tidied herself up, cleared her throat, and began her short and sweet declaration. "People of Lastation, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for gathering on this bright, bright, sun-shiny day..." Noire turned her head for a second and whispered "Neptune, why did I let you write my speech again? This is corny as all hell."

The ditz whispered back with a playful smile. "Because I'm awesome! C'mon, read the rest of the opening; I worked real, real hard on it!"

"*sigh*... Let me get straight to the point: The matter that I will be addressing today is one of high-importance, as it concerns not only you, but also the citizens in all of Gamindustri. I must say, I've... worried about delivering this news for the longest time now; I panicked over how you would all perceive this upcoming news. It felt like rain was constantly pouring in my head, souring my thoughts with doubt... But now, I can see clearly now; The rain is gone... I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It's gonna be a... bright, bright... Sun-Shiny day..." Noire immediately halted, and glared over at the ditz. "...Neptune, what the hell is this?"

"Hee Hee... I, uh, thought the audience would appreciate it... Ehehe..." Lady Purple Heart scratched her cheek innocently.

"Ugh, where do you even think of these references? ...Ah, screw this script!" The tsundere dramatically turned back to the eager (and slightly confused) crowd. "People of Lastation, it is on this day that I, your CPU, declare my engagement." Murmurs of surprise spread throughout the throng. "Yes, I am slated to be married, but that is not the entirety of this announcement. My partner, the individual that I am to wed... is up on this stage right at this very moment."

More stunned murmurs. "What!? But, I don't see a man up there. There's only that Purple Heart chick!"

"Yo, Noire can't be getting married! I vowed that I'd hit that someday!"

"If Noire was my sister, would she still be fair game?"

"You don't think... Black Heart's marrying her imaginary friend, do you?" Man, are these people stupid...

After a moment, Neptune sprang up and took the spotlight. "That's right! I, Neptune, am totally getting married to Noirey here! So, in a way, all of you are my peeps as well as hers! Howdy do, ya'll!" Well, if that wasn't a jarring way to drop the axe, then I don't know what is.

Lady Black Heart closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When she was calm and ready, she continued. "...Lady Neptune speaks the truth: We are in love, and have been planning our wedding for months now. The Land of Black Regality and The Land of Purple Progress... are to unite as one. But, do not fret; Our citizens are still our top priority, and we'll think every step of the way on how to further better your lives. We will work extra hard to make sure that none of you are inconvenienced in absolutely any regard due to this unprecedented event..." The crowd became quite boisterous, if I do say so myself, and the CPU knew she had to cut this short. Bluntly, she finished with "...Well, thank you for your time... Good day..." and dragged the ditz quickly back into the Basilicom.

The throng continued to respond with a various amount of emotions. Some were completely thrilled, some were utterly appalled, and some had absolutely no idea what to make of it.

Lastation and Planeptune... becoming one entity? What exactly does that imply? What will happen to the people? What will happen to Gamindustri?

...Well, perhaps now is not the time to fret about such matters... We'll just have to deal with it when the moment arrives...

...No... THEY'LL just have to deal with it when the moment arrives... I'm useless, after all...

...

* * *

...Well, at least that flashback was shorter than the last one...

Neptune cupped her chin with her hand in thought, and came to some sort of realization. "...I got it! The people don't like 70's-era music, or songs about sunshine! Shoulda gone the 'Real is Brown' route, huh?"

A nice 'Thwack!' to the head from Noire in response. "70's!? No! Our marriage announcement caused confusion and anger, and those rebels are using the disorientation to their advantage! Weren't you even listening?" She was, that's the scary part.

Most of the girls around the table nodded. "Ah yes, that does indeed make sense." Vert said to nobody in particular. She would've said more, but a sudden pain struck her head, and she calmly clutched the sore area in silence. Only Chika noticed something was off.

Kei nodded professionally again; Is this her breakout chapter, or something? "So is everyone clear on the situation now? The 'Yellow Bandanas' are using the confusion of the recent marriage announcement to assault Planeptune and Lastation. If kept unchecked, their strength will only grow stronger as more and more cities fa-"

"Commander! We have a visitor!" Ah, gas-mask guy! Almost forgot he existed, to be absolutely honest.

Chip stopped biting his nails and quickly brought his hands behind his back (hidden from all view). "A visitor? Er, who? The only people invited were our lovely ladies here... I think?"

"A boy, sir... A RICH boy..."

Lastation's oracle's mouth was still open; she was amazed at how fluently she had been interrupted.

The doors to the meeting room opened in slow motion... though you can't see it, so I guess it doesn't really matter, huh? After a long, dramatic pause... in walked the rich boy!

...!

**RECALLED MANAGER (part 1)**

"...Greetings, my fair ladies! I have come here to... offer some assistance in quelling this little rebellion. Surely you could use the extra help?" It... can't be... No, this doesn't make sense!

Chika turned her head away from the ailed Vert, and got a good look at the visitor. "...You!"

The elegant boy, Jade, shrugged while wearing that sickeningly-charming grin. "Why, long time no see, Lady Chika... I'm flattered you remember me."

All eyes were directed towards Leanbox's oracle. "Who's that guy? An ex-boyfriend of yours?" Uni teased, saying something for the sake of getting a few lines in.

Chika puffed out her cheeks. "As if! I only have eyes for Vert!" A vicious glare in Jade's direction. "...He's a complete and total creep! What are you even doing here?"

The aristocrat flipped his hair with his hand; quite the majestic flourish. All the while, he avoided looking in Green Heart's direction. "I already said; I'm here to help you all out. And I resent that 'creep' comment, Lady Chika... But no harm done." You know, I hate this smug sonuvabitch. "Let me introduce myself to all of you: My name is Jade, and I represent Avenir. It would be in our best interests if Lastation didn't fall to petty rebels, so here I am to offer our support."

Noire raised an eyebrow. "Avenir? Do you even support Lastation anymore? We haven't heard from you guys in a long time." She knew she wanted to bring up the ill-fated Game Expo from a year ago... but restrained herself. It had become something of an unwritten rule to never speak of what happened that day. Everyone who remembered it wanted to talk about that High School alternate universe, but no one was brave enough to break the ice. Stupid, I know.

The Vert fangirl wasn't going to let him get a word in. "He is most definitely not on our side! Why, he threatened Leanbox nearly a year ago!"

This snapped Lady Green Heart out of her pained state... for the moment, at least. "What? When did this happen? Who would make viable threats against us?"

"That evil scumbag over there! He said his organization wanted to take down Lastation, and then they would eventually target us!"

Noire and Uni immediately pointed at Jade from across the table. "T-Take us down!?"

Ooh, the aristocrat was deep in a hole now... Why is he still smiling? "Why, I believe you misinterpreted my words, Lady Chika; I only meant that Avenir will become so successful that we may overtake all of you in the Shares exchange... Of course, we'd never think to split from dearest Lastation." Smug bastard! That is most certainly not what he meant, and Chika knows it!

"..." But Chika, contrary to how this fic may portray her, is pretty smart, or at least wiser than you'd expect. She understood that a rebellion of this calibre could spell disaster not only for Leanbox, but all of Gamindustri. Sure, she knew that Jade was much more devious than he let on... but he was offering to help with the situation. A trick? Maybe... but what if he was genuine? Wouldn't more help be desirable in dealing with a potential major threat? If she outed him , he couldn't possibly aid them... Better to be on the safe side and have as many people helping you as possible, correct? "...Hmph! I still don't like you." Doesn't mean she has to be nice.

The aristocrat shrugged, that damn disgusting smirk deeply ingrained in his face. The two sisters of Lastation sighed, and sank back into their boring seats to further absorb this boring meeting...

"Can we get on with this already!?" Huh, exactly what I'm thinking! Thank you, Ram! "You're all boring... C'mon, we should jump ahead to the part where we agree to kill those scummy bastards! Don't you agree, Rom?"

"...*snore*..."

"Aw! You dummies made Rom fall asleep!"

Mina, eyes incredibly sunken in with exhaustion, wagged a scornful finger at the loli. "Watch your language, Ram!" Aaaaaaaand... that's it for their lines this chapter.

IF began tapping her feet. "Dammit, Ram's right! We need to move now! We can't just let some random handsome asshole sidetrack the entire issue at hand!" Geez, she's angry.

Lyrica lightly caressed the brunette's hand. "I-It's okay, Iffy... P-Please carry on, everyone!"

Kei raised an unsure eyebrow at Blanc, and opened her mouth. "...Okay, anywa-"

"Aren't you interested in hearing about my experience with these so-called 'A Brothers?'" Smug fancy asshole asked, interrupting poor Kei once more. "I've actually spoken face-to-face with them, I'll have you know..."

Silence; What a refreshing change. It was shattered, however, when Vert spoke. "Hm, well, I guess one more tale wouldn't hurt... It could provide us some more useful information, don't you all agree?" Her face sure is flushed... Some bad headache.

The aristocrat now couldn't help but look upon the face of the CPU he abhorred. On reflex, he clenched his hands tight, and his breathing came out in uneven spurts. Still, he tried his best to hide his true feelings. "...Why, thank you, Lady... Green Heart..." He looked away for a second to quickly flip his hair and to allow his nerves to calm down. "...Alright! Let me share with you all the time those three delusional boys threatened me to support them..."

...

* * *

[Flashback not found]

* * *

...Wow, not even the script's supporting his bullshit.

But what did he say to the unknowing group? Well, Jade made up a tale of how Adrian stormed into Avenir one day and threatened him with magic; The brothers demanded funding for their planned 'Yellow Bandana Rebellion.' The rest of the details don't really matter, since you know the true story.

...But, why is Jade doing this? Why is he lying about the brown-haired young men and essentially turning them in? Avenir IS funding them! Isn't he friends with those three? What is he planning?

...Guess we'll find out. "So, what do you think? Those lowlifes wanted Avenir's help, and we so gallantly declined. I'm pretty trustworthy, if you ask me..." He grinned around the room, but everyone just kinda stared.

"Er, is that all you got? Kinda weak, dude." Purple Heart said, rocking back and forth in her chair which most certainly was not designed for that type of motion!

Histoire nodded. "Perhaps you have something else to share? Anything at all?"

Jade closed his eyes and shrugged dreamily *shudder* once more. "...I take it that story wasn't what you were looking for? Well then... I do know one other thing..."

IF rolled her eyes (again(again!(AGAIN!))). "Stop leading us on! What is it!?" She's getting freakin' pissed!

"Heh heh... I know where the ringleaders of this damn rebellion will be staying tomorrow: The mountain range northwest of Haneda City. They already figure you all are on to them, so they're laying low... Little do they know, I'm one step ahead of them." He struck a 'cool' pose with his thumb in front of his face. "NO ONE threatens Avenir, am I right?"

The oracle of Lastation was intrigued, but her face was as stoic as ever. "Tomorrow? And you are absolutely sure of this?"

"Without a doubt; We've kept a close eye on them ever since they rudely confronted us, so I know everything about their little operation. They know you're after their ditzy hostage, and they believe the mountains will provide the cover they so desire. They will remain there until the coast is clear... Heh, which it never will be." Turncoat... Wait, why am I saying that? The A Brothers and Jade are... villains, correct? Then... why should I care if they betray each other or not?

...

Kei looked to Histoire. "...We have no other leads to their whereabouts... Considering Haneda City was the first location to fall, it isn't too far-fetched to believe they'd hide somewhere relatively nearby to throw us off their scent."

The tome nodded. "Yes... I see no reason not to trust this lead. In any case, searching and finding nothing would be better than doing nothing at all." She smiled at the party. "Tonight, we shall rest... But first thing tomorro-"

The battle-hardened veteran clenched her fists tighter than ever before. "No! Compa... Shit, we can't wait til tomorrow! We need to save her now!"

Neptune knew when her friend was serious. "Yo, Iffy... no need for ants in your pants. We just gotta stay coo-"

"Nep, they can kill Compa any second! We have to get her back, now!"

Cave (I practically forgot she's still here) slammed her fist down onto the table. "Calm down, IF! I understand how you feel, but rushing in with nary a clue will get us nowhere... I don't mean to sound trite, but discretion is the better part of valor..." Wasn't that quote originally used to cover up a cowardly act? Ah, whaddo I know?

"Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing! If it was one of you, she wouldn't rest until she found us!" The brunette leapt up from her seat and paced nervously. I don't think I've ever seen her this frustrated, and I watched her deal with boys that wanted to eat everyone's souls. "...How can you all be so relaxed!? So... goofy!? She's our friend, and she's with a bunch of madmen! Don't you freakin' care!?"

Neptune's brows furrowed most unusually, but her usual smile remained. "Of course we do, Iffy! But that's exactly why we gotta be silly ducks!" This all seems accidentally... familiar.

This caught the veteran by surprise. "W-Wha?"

"If we lose our cool, then how're we gonna save Comps anyways? We need to goof off and relax today so we're ready to kick butt tomorrow!" She wrapped an arm around Noire's neck, startling the tsundere. "Compa will be just fine for a day; She's too adorable to be in any real danger. No young boy could ever lay a finger on her, not even on her boobies!"

Stunned silence... Was Neptune actually being... comforting? This sure threw everyone for a loop. I'd say I'm surprised... but I just really don't care anymore.

Nepgear seized this opportunity to get a word in. "M-My sis and Histoire are correct!" And Cave's also correct. "I-I'm worried about Compa too, but I know she's okay! We'll get her back first thing in the morning, and deal with this threat to Gamindustri!"

IF wanted to say something else, but Lyrica lovingly clasped her hand. "Trust us, Iffy... It's hard, but we all need to remain strong. We'll get her back, safe and sound!"

...Y'know, we've seen a few scenes today... Why aren't we seeing a flashback to whatever happened to Compa? That seems like a pretty important event, right? Why is this script toying with us so frickin much!?

...

The battle-hardened veteran wiped a threatening tear from her eye and smiled at her lover. "...A-Alright... Dammit, those bastards don't know what's coming! We'll go in tomorrow and rain absolute hell down upon them!"

All of the girls around the table cheered, save for a select few: Cave looked towards the floor, virtually shrinking out of view; Mina weakly smiled, but was too tired to take part in the cheerful atmosphere; and Lady Vert nursed the vicious pain in her head. And besides them, Jade grinned as he flipped his hair once more. Chip beat his fist against his palm, ready for a good long life in this fanfiction...

The plans were set: By morning, everyone would move out and face the Yellow Bandana Rebellion. Best case scenario, they'd come across the three boys and a few followers.

More than likely, however... they'd be facing an entire army of radical anti-CPU ralliers.

...Oh, but this night wasn't over yet; They still had lighthearted shenanigans to perform in the evening... which we apparently need to see.

...But that, my friends, is for another day... Wait, what!? This chapter's done? This was just boring expos- no, never mind... I'm used to it by now.

* * *

**END OF PART ONE! PART TWO COMING SOON! ;)**

**BUT... BEFORE THAT...**

**...**

Huh? What the hell is this now!? I hate when the format gets shit on!

...

"Be right there!"

A knock had arrived to the door of a familiar cabin. A brown-haired youn- Oh, it's freakin' Adrian, okay?...

The young man turned the knob and opened the entrance to the dwellings, and was greeted by a red-faced glasses-wearing woman with silver hair... Hey, it's the same chick that IF and Lyrica spoke to at the magic show!

"...Oh, it's you..." The leader of the brothers sighed. "Looking for Almaz, I take it?"

The professional-looking woman nodded. "Ahum, i-if he's not busy! We were going to hand out some more flyers around Lagoon City today... That is the next target, right?"

"Yeah... Okay, he's been waiting all day for you anyways..." Adrian looked back into the cabin and yelled for his brother. "Almaz, your friend is here!"

The hasty scuffling of feet could be heard in the kitchen, and out ran the timid young man, two bagels in hand.

"Rei!" He proclaimed with glee. The two immediately embraced in quite the awkward fashion; they look reminiscent of a pair of hugging fifth-graders. Adrian shook his head and sat back down.

The two eventually separated, and Almaz held out a bagel to the woman. "Not sure if you've eaten lunch yet, but here! Something to snack on." He rubbed the back of his head as she shyly took the food item.

"T-Thank you! I haven't eaten anything yet, actually... Missed breakfast, too..."

"Well, maybe after we're finished, we can stop by a diner or something! We'll need more than a bagel after a hard day's work."

"Okay! That sounds great!" Rei gleamed. How old is she? When she smiles, she looks like a little kid, but she has to be older than the three brothers, right?

The two proceeded to head on out. As they left, Almaz called out "See ya, bro! Be back tonight!"

"Yeah, see ya..."

The door slammed shut. Adrian leaned back into his chair and sighed even deeper. A moment passed, and Alex entered the room... This is set up like a sitcom.

"Yo... Almaz finally stepped out?"

"Yep..."

The irritable brother took a seat in a rocking chair facing Adrian. "Er, what's yer problem? You're mopier than usual, I gotta say."

The leader wiped his hand over his eyes. "Ugh, I don't like that woman... She's a good-for-nothing liability. I'm surprised she hasn't given us away yet."

"And why would she do that?"

"Because she's a clumsy idiot! She can't be trusted to keep secrets... Hell, she can't even be trusted to staple pamphlets to telephone poles correctly; You remember how they were all facing the wrong way last time!" He picked at his thumbnail with his teeth. "I know Jade wanted us to have a female presence in our operation, but she's less helpful than a child!"

Alex took a deep breath and exhaled with flourish. "I dunno, I don't think the broad's that bad... And besides, Almaz sure seems to like her. He'd be mighty upset if you did something to her."

"*sigh* He's a freakin' weirdo..."

The two brothers sat in silence for a while, until another hand knocked on the door. Adrian looked at Alex with one eye. "Can you get that? It's probably for you. Maybe it's even a pretty lady?"

The irritable boy rolled his eyes and leapt over to the front door. "Hel-Oh, crap..."

"Akekekeke... Hello there, friend! Are you ready to find the next lucky angels that need saving?" He's back!?

Alex stared at Le Ciel, the bastard who had killed Lowee guard Watwintails earlier... and slumped his shoulders in resignation...? "...I guess so... Let's just get this over with..."

The pale man in black grinned from ear to ear. "Goody! Where to, my liege?"

"...I guess Erethisan is next. Let's speed on over there..."

And thus, those two left as well... Another lovely couple.

Adrian was now alone, left to ponder everything rushing through his cluttered mind...

A little backdrop, finally: The goddesses had announced their engagement to the world a week ago, so this scene takes place about two weeks before that whole S.R.A.T.S. scenario we just slugged through; there, happy now? The revolts had been going well, with a new city taking about three days to fall...

Jade didn't want anyone to figure out that Avenir was supporting the A Brothers, so he convinced the three to stay solely in their old cabin in Lastation for the time being. Not suspicious at all.

Now, all that is fine and dandy... but what I'm most confused about is who that Rei girl is, and why Le Ciel is back and working cooperatively with Alex? But, I guess that all will be answered next time, or something... Ugh, my head hurts.

Anyways, this scene must have some importance to it! It can't just be entirely more useless crap, can it!?

...More time passed, and nothing exciting... Of course... Wait! D-Did you hear that?

...Ugh, why do I keep asking that!? It was a knock! I heard another knock on the door!... Damn, doesn't this all seem... familiar?

"...Coming..." Adrian yelled. With a yawn, he crawled up out of the seat and greeted his mystery visitor. "Yeah, whaddya want?"

On the other side of the door was a woman wearing a large dark witches hat, and rather elegantly colored clothing... although very little of her was left to the imagination. Her eyes were blood-red, and made Adrian feel as if they were sucking out his soul.

The devious figure spoke. "Ah, hello again Adrian... How I've missed you." The demon lightly brushed the back of her hand against the young man's face. He shuddered at the cold touch, but instantly felt a sense of familiarity swell up within him... Or rather, he knew he should've felt that way. Instead, the hand was just cold.

The dark presence merely smirked, and opened her arms wide. "My, you've been busy! I am honestly impressed."

Adrian's eyes didn't widen, as he knew from the start who this woman was. "Mother?... What a surprise..."

The witch on the other side of the door, Arfoire, simply... began to scowl.


	11. Dancing Wizard

**(ONE WEEK AFTER THE REBELLION'S IGNITION; TWO WEEKS BEFORE S.R.A.T.S)**

"Mother? Why are you here? Took your sweet ass time..." Adrian droned, clearly underwhelmed beyond all compare. Geez, this chapter sure didn't take its sweet ass time beginning...

The witch shook her head as she allowed herself in. The Deity of Sin tried with all her might to look like a loving mom, but her voice came out incredibly strained. "My, my... Is that any way to address your mother, dear Adrian? Surely you're pleased to see me, no?"

"Thrilled... So whaddo ya want? Money? Food? What?"

"...I don't appreciate the tone, Adrian, but fine, have it your way... I just wanted to check in, is all. You three have made tremendous progress with the tome, if I understand correctly?"

"Yep..."

This is... I don't know what this is. The Deity of Sin, the Almighty, the Devil herself, is standing once more before her very creation... and he's giving her sass.

Arfoire's eye began twitching; a common symptom for everyone in this fic. "...Boy, I do not know why you are acting so distant; I'm on your side. Do not forget who gave you that magic tome in the first place!"

Adrian walked into the kitchen, his mother close behind. He opened the cabinet and took out a jar of peanut butter. From there, he reached into a basket with his left hand and pulled out a bagel. "...I haven't forgotten, Mother. I thank you for the book." With a lighting-fast slice, the bagel was cut in two, and peanut butter was swiftly applied. "...Was that the only reason you took a field trip out here? To congratulate us? Hate ta tell you this, but Alex and Almaz will be out for most of the day. If you want to talk to them, you'll be waiting around for a while... Hey, what do you do on a normal basis anyways? Probably not much, huh?" Pressing the two pieces of bagel together, the boy prepared to eat.

The witch had other plans. "...You!" Anger vein on forehead, she reared back her hand and smacked half of the bagel straight out of her "son's" grasp. "How dare you mock me! I will not stand for this insolence!"

Adrian looked at his mother with uncaring eyes, resembling Kei if you really looked hard enough. A tense second, and he raised the other half of the bagel to his mouth, taking a hefty bite as if nothing was amiss. This only served to peeve the Devil off even further.

Arfoire's eyes displayed wishes of only death and destruction, and her beat-red face made it clear that she was _this_ close to smiting the boy here and now. However, she managed to restrain herself... She needed Adrian, at least for couple more weeks. After that, he could up and die for all she cared.

...For now, she'd just have to take his shitty attitude in stride.

"...Well, where have the other boys gone? Shouldn't they be helping with the riots?"

The brown-haired young man took another bite, and walked back into the main room. A leap onto the chair, and he was relaxing once more. "Oh, they went out with two of our supporters to help prepare for the next invasion; scouting, putting up flyers, ya name it."

The Deity of Sin stared at the empty rocking chair for a moment and ever-so-slowly sat down. "...So, who are these two supporters?" It was hard to make small-talk with a wall.

Adrian finished off his bagel and sank further into the seat. "...Oh, just two useless idiots..."

Despite his intentions, the boy's mind wandered back to a few weeks ago... W-What the!? We're still in the same format as the last chapter: Where we have one main backdrop, and the other scenes are told in flashbacks, but NOT from any particular point of view?

...Oh boy...

* * *

**THE ROCK GARDEN**

**(TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE REBELLION'S IGNITION)**

"H-Hello! I-I'm Rei Ryghts! It's a ppppleasure to meet all of you!"

Adrian and Alex exchanged quick confused glances, and then turned towards the elegant boy standing next to the stranger. "Er, Jade... What is this?"

The aristocrat smiled, his eyes closed for some reason. "This is Rei; she's our new co-worker. A female presence in our all-male group will surely attract some more supporters... Quite odd to say, but most of the single girls around Gamindustri don't really... er, respond to men..." Gee, what a shock. How could the world survive if women actually liked the opposite gender?

Alex eyed the professional woman with silver hair closely. After a moment, he nodded contently. "Eh, a bit old, but I see no problem with her. Welcome aboard, lassy!"

Rei practically winced. "...Old?... Uh, t-thank you!"

Adrian, however, was not as accepting as the irritable brother. "Jade, we can't just allow anybody to join our main ranks. Does she have any actual skills? Any use at all for her to be here?"

The aristocrat flipped his hair, and motioned towards the shy woman again, urging her to speak up. She blushed, and hesitantly began. "Um, well, I-I do not approve of how the CPUs have been running things! Lastation and Planeptune have been virtually leaderless for almost a year; Green Heart has been rather quiet politically, b-but has spent lavishly on trivial matters; and White Heart has been using tax money to erect an impenetrable wall around Lowee's grand castle. A-All the while, crime rates continue to climb, and more and more citizens are g-going broke..."

The leader of the brothers rolled his eyes. "...So, you can look up things on the Internet; big whoop." Ha ha, up yours, jackass.

Rei bowed her head. "I-I'm so, so sorry! PPPPoint is, I want change in Gamindustri... A-And that's why I'm such a huge fan of all of you! I believe you can do something about their tttyranny, a-and I want to help!"

Jade smiled as he swayed from side to side. "See? A perfect new addition! I'm sure you will all become close friends!" At once, Adrian attempted to speak, but the aristocrat cut him off. "That is an order, Adrian pal. Singe wants more of a female presence, and he's the one paying the bills, so..."

The leader sighed, nodding his head in resigned understanding. "...Fine, but she better not get in our way. I really don't wanna babysit her the whole time..."

"I-I won't let you down, Mr. Adrian sir!" The meek professional said frantically, a nervous smile adorning her face. Unsure of where to go from there, she stood awkwardly for a minute until she found a nice bench to sit on a little ways away.

Adrian sighed quite loudly again. Jade shrugged, and held up a finger. "One more surprise for you, boys... Okay, you can come out now!"

xxxxx

Rei Ryghts took a seat on the bench and stared up at the partially cloudy sky. "...Lastation's always so glooming looking..." A hearty sigh. "...Oh, why don't they like me?"

"Hm? Why doesn't who like you?"

The meek woman suddenly jolted her head to the origin of the mystery voice, and saw a boy with somewhat-unkempt brown hair. "W-Waah! Oh my, I-I didn't see you there!"

The boy shyly scratched his cheek. "Heh, er, s-sorry... I-I'm A-Almaz! I-I didn't mean to startle you... You just looked kinda sad."

Rei sighed in relief. It took a moment, but her eyes quickly widened in surprise. "...O-Oh my! You're one of the A Brothers too! I'm sorry, I had no idea!... I-I'm Rei! I'm working with you all now... I hope I won't disappoint you!" Geez lady, calm down.

Almaz grinned as wide as ever, and held out his hand. However, before the woman could figure out how to respond, he plopped down next to her on the bench, still holding out his hand. "Nice to meetcha, Rei! And have a little confidence; you won't mess up, I know it!"

The meek professional smiled with red cheeks, and gently shook the boy's hand. "T-Thank you... You're too kind!"

The timid brother bashfully rubbed his hair, and instinctively looked away. "...S-So, w-what's got you down? I-I'm no expert, heh, but you don't seem as cheerful as you could be."

Rei looked down at her feet. A cool breeze drifted through the air, soothing her nerves a slight bit. "...I don't think Adrian likes me... I understand that I'm pretty useless, but it still hurts that he thinks the same..."

Almaz scowled a bit. "Aw, don't talk like that! I'm sure Adrian's just grumpy at the world, is all. He's been working harder the past couple of weeks than he has all year, so he must be pretty stressed out. Shouldn't be anything personal against you, dontcha worry!... And you're not useless!"

The woman smiled at the kind boy's words, feeling a joy she never had before. "T-T-Thank you!... Y-Yeah, mmmaybe you're right... W-Well, I'll try my hardest to make everyone proud..."

"Hehe, that's the spirit!" And the two timid individuals sat in silence for a bit, letting the calming breeze stir their hair...

xxxxx

Back with Jade... Alex and Adrian weren't too thrilled with the 'surprise.'

"W-W-What is HE doing here!?" Alex cried, automatically manning battle positions.

Jade, for some peculiar reason, ran his index finger down the bridge of his nose, and then struck a pose with his hand. "He... er, gave me an offer I couldn't refuse... He'll be happiest working for you guys, so... make it work!"

The irritable brother cringed as he looked upon the face of the new recruit. "...Long time... no see..."

A pale man in dark clothing grinned from ear to ear. "Indeed, best bud! Far, FAR too long! Oh, how I missed you sooooooooo much!"

The creep, Le Ciel, wrapped his lanky arms around Alex in quite the horrifying hug. Adrian was too stunned to do anything for a moment, but he eventually found the courage to intervene and stop the frightening embrace.

"H-Hey! Um, Le... Ciel, right? W-Welcome aboard..." Although they had only heard the man utter his name once, they all remembered it clear as day.

"Ooooohooohooo! You remember me! Oh, what a glorious day this is!" This is scary.

"Of course we'd remember you!... N-No one could forget someone like... you..." Alex bullshitted, 'Stepford' smile taking up his face.

Le Ciel looked as cheerful as ever, the evil dipshit. "Have no fear, boys; I'll be a much better pLaYtHiNg than that WoMaN!"

Adrian uneasily nodded, his mouth slightly opened in a horrified grin. "...I-I'm sure you will..."

Figuring that was enough, Jade slowly led the crazed man away...

Both brothers breathed out in total relief. "Holy shit, I hate that guy..." Alex mumbled, rubbing his temples.

"...As long as he's on our side, we shouldn't have to worry about him... Just deal with it, I guess."

xxxxx

"...I didn't realize my shoes were untied for the whole day! Oh, but I sure found out when I ran up the stairs to the stage!"

The timid boy finished his tale, and both he and the shy woman began to laugh. Huh...

"Oh man, that's priceless!... O-Once, I left home without my glasses, and..."

For all intents and purposes, Almaz was utterly thrilled; Rei Ryghts was quickly becoming the first real friend he had in... well, ever! As you've probably guessed, he didn't have much experience with women... Hell, the first and only 'relationship' he ever had ended like this:

_"Justice... KICK!"_

...Needless to say, this was a welcome change of pace.

However, as with all good things in this fic, there would always be something to spoil the mood...

Jade hesitantly walked the crazed man away from the brothers, and pointed towards a standard Lastation hotel (no love, in case knowing that enriches your life). "Okay, that is where you'll be staying for as long as you are in league with us. Singe took care of the room and all that jazz... So, er, take care!" And with that, he quickly fled on home.

Le Ciel waved as a child would, but didn't head to the hotel right away; oh no, he spotted the two shy birds sitting peacefully. Remembering what he overheard about Adrian's detest for that woman, he gave the two a short visit.

"Hello, flighty boy! You want to visit the wonderful wacky world of slumbering angels before my very eyes again?" The creep cooed as he quickly approached Almaz.

The boy was not thrilled. "H-H-Holy justice! Y-You! WWWWWhat are you doing... h-here!?"

Ciel's grin once again consumed his entire face, and he ran a lone finger down the meek boy's cheek. "I'm one of you now! I am my darling Alex's toy!"

Rei cowered against Almaz, clearly unsettled by this horrid stranger. She struggled to utter a single breath... Can't blame her, really.

"O-Oh... W-Well, gggggggggood to have you on our... t-team!" Almaz tried to contain his fear, but... well, you just read that sentence.

Ever since the murder of Watwintails, the poor brown-haired young man was scared to death of Le Ciel; the mere thought of the fiend caused him to freeze up.

So, when the devil threatened Rei, he sadly couldn't do anything to help.

"...My new 'BROTHERS!' don't lIkE you, oLd HaG! Why, if I took this iTsY-bItSy blade and SLICED through your long, tender stomach muscles, they wouldn't complain, now would they?" The pale man suddenly took out a switchblade (most likely the same that finished the Lowee guard), and pressed the flat side of the cold knife against the woman's cheek. "A little 'SNIP!' and a little 'STICK!' and you would be out of their beautiful hair... Mmhmm, how delicious you must taste... My BLADE must TASTE you!"

Rei Ryghts was utterly helpless, as was Almaz. The blade remained on the woman's tender cheek for an eternal minute. The boy searched deep inside of himself for an ounce of courage, and managed to ball his sweaty hand into a fist... but before he could do anything else, Ciel pulled the blade away and began skipping off.

"Toodaloos, my dear hummingbirds!" Wow... I'm not getting to bed tonight... Hell, I barely sleep at all, so what am I talking about?

The timid woman and the shy boy shared a long look of horror mixed with sweet, sweet relief. For the rest of the day, the two of them said nary a word to anybody...

And thus, Rei Ryghts and Le Ciel joined the ranks of the A Brothers, and became instrumental to the Yellow Bandana Rebellion...

...

* * *

The flashback over, Adrian turned back to his 'mother.' "So... What's been up with you, Arfoire? You make any new friends lately?"

The Deity of Sin looked somewhat surprised at suddenly being addressed, but quickly got over it when she realized it was just another jab at her. "Hm?... Why no, you snot-nosed brat... I've only made enemies... Including one I can't figure out..."

"Heh, that's funny; the Devil herself is confused? Man, that's priceless. Who're you fighting, God?"

Arfoire, oddly, was quite deep in thought. Against her will, she thought about everything that... troubled her...

...H-Holy crap, why am I narrating her thoughts!? How the hell can the author know what's on her mind!?

...Anyways, although she would never admit this, the Deity of Sin was... afraid, or at least nervous... I feel frikkin' weird saying that...

Hm... since there won't be any expositional dialogue (the Devil would never share her feelings!), I guess I gotta do it all myself. I apologize...

...As you've hopefully managed to grasp, Arfoire wrote the script of the last main story, up until the high school AU. After that, it took a life of its own, and even Red dabbled as the author for a bit; that's already been hammered in by now.

The Deity of Sin didn't know who Red was, but she knew that she was the enemy... However, she also recently discovered that the dragon girl wasn't her ONLY enemy. Much as the young girl figured out already, Arfoire felt that there was a third party in all this madness; three authors all striving to influence the script...

So, the villain had absolutely no clear idea on who her two opponents were. Yes, the very same entity that existed purely to destroy the world... was in the dark. It... would've been quite funny if it wasn't so frightening to think about.

...But if you also recall what Red alluded to, Arfoire wasn't really trying anymore; after her grand failure, she must've decided that the best course of action to take was to deliver the magic tome to her 'sons,' and then sit back and wait for things to unfold naturally... whatever that implies.

...Hm, the script here mentions that she's planning for the land to fall into a state of war, mirroring a classic piece of historical fiction... but, I don't know where that information originated from... Hopefully just insane ramblings...

So anyways, Mr. Mystery Author is neither an ally of Arfoire nor Red, but he hasn't explicitly done anything to act against them yet... He's preventing them from taking any type of control, but he's ending up writing what they probably would have anyways... What's his goal?

...

...Wait, do YOU know something I don't? Did I... miss something important while I was asleep?

...

...Er, let's get back to the scene...

Good ole Arfy- why'd I just say that?- snapped out of her confusing thoughts and instinctively glared at her 'son.' "...My business is my own." Great dialogue. "...I did not come all this way to speak about the year I had; I am making sure that you do not screw everything up!"

Adrian picked at his fingernails. "Here I thought you wanted to have a friendly chat... We're doing fine without you, mother. We're big boys; we can handle living without you holding our hands."

"...Do NOT mock me, boy!" The Deity stared into the boy's eyes for a moment, seeing how little he cared. She quickly changed tactics. "...Well, have you mastered the tome? What discoveries did you make?"

The corner of the leader's lips curled into a cocky smirk. "Oh, we've found some useful stuff, yep... I'm now stronger than you, Arfy..."

...I guess that's another cue...

* * *

**ONE, TWO, THREE**

**(ONE WEEK BEFORE THE REBELLION'S IGNITION)**

"'Infinite Fury', huh? Whaddo you suppose... it, er, does?" Alex asked, staring at the 'Crucial Codes' with slight hesitance.

The two brothers stood in a clearing in a forest on Lastation... I hope it's not the same from Chapter... 5, was it? Le Ciel was also present, rocking back and forth while sitting cross-legged in the shade.

Adrian smirked at the mystical tome in his hands, feeling more content than ever. But, why was the leader so chirp, you ask? Well, a mere moment ago, the boys had made a tremendous breakthrough: The tome had reached Level 50, the (apparent) max rank!

"Heh heh heh... Seems to be a complicated cheat. Depending on the target's state of mind, the cheat can either provide an amazing boost of strength... or, make you give in to your sorrows and practically go insane." That's where they get ya.

"Huh... Okay then... Still, quite odd that Level 50 is the highest it goes. I mean, that's not the max rank in any game!" Actually, it's pretty common. "Can we use it with our orbs?"

The leader scrutinized the book some more. "...Nah, probably not; these orbs can't go beyond Level 32, unless I'm missing something." Orbs? Oh yeah, I do remember the brothers were holding orbs in the IF and Lyrica scene last chapter...

Apparently, upon reaching Level 48, a different type of cheat was unlocked: Each boy was granted a small orb that could perform most cheats below... er, randomly Level 32. All they had to do was whisper the code's name, and the orb would do the rest. Much more convenient than lugging a large book around all the time, wouldn't you say? And now, all three boys could use basic magic at the same time!

...I guess it wasn't important enough to show them acquire these powers... I don't get it either.

Adrian looked at Alex and shot him a thumbs up. "Let's try this 'Infinite Fury' out, then! C'mon, use it on me."

This certainly caused the irritable brother some doubt. "Er, didn't you just say that the code has a chance to turn you insane? Shouldn't we, I dunno, use more discretion before we just up and risk yer neck?"

The leader's face didn't change. "Where's the fun in not taking any risks, brother?" Geez, that sounded kinda... creepy.

"This... is more than a risk, Adrian."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If we're to help the people, we need all the power we can get. If this code works, then I can apparently become even stronger, so screw it, why not?"

"...Why are you being so reckless alla sudden?" And so, the two boys were about to practice the top-secret 'Infinite Fury' code... Wait, so, is that how Adrian... transformed last chapter? 'Infinite Fury' enabled him to engage HDD, or at least something just like it?

...Shit, what else can this book do? I remember they mentioned 'Level Select' a long time ago... What horrors would using that entail?

Le Ciel had now begun humming happily to himself, that creepy grin forever etched into his demented face.

"Okay... If you really want to do this... I'll ente-" Alex began, but Adrian quickly smacked the book out of his hands. "H-Hey, what the f-"

Innocent little(?) Rei and Almaz had chosen that exact moment to return to the group; they had, as always, been out hanging up flyers. Seems the others hadn't expected them to return so soon.

The shy boy was holding two juice boxes; they must've stopped for a drink on the way back.

Rei smiled happily, relieved she had actually done something successful. "We're back! W-We covered the entire boardwalk! Tomorrow-"

Almaz jumped in and finished her thought. "-we'll scout at the park!"

The two shy friends had expected some praise for their hustle... but Adrian began to scowl.

The leader of the brothers was very cautious when it came to guarding the secrets of their magic abilities; Only he, Alex, Almaz, and Jade were to know the truth about the tome. Le Ciel, granted, was present right now, but Adrian figured that the insane man wouldn't notice (or care about) a damn thing that went on.

So upon seeing Rei, a woman he detested, coming close to the book... well, caused him to utterly snap.

A mild fire in his eyes, he stormed up to the professional woman. "I explicitly told you to stay out of this forest while we're practicing! So, why the hell am I looking at your face!? Huh!? Well, WHY!?"

Rei Ryghts froze on the spot, cowering in fear. Her words came out in stutters. "I-I-I-I-I-I..." I didn't say she said much.

Almaz walked in front of the girl, blocking her from his brother. "H-Hey, what the hell? Leave Rei alone, man! It's my fault we're here anyways; I figured you were already finished with... whatever you were doing. So lay off!" Quite a rarity to see the timid brother raise his voice.

Adrian's brows remained furrowed in rage, but he backed down and away... Just then, however, another man stepped up.

"OlD HaG! YoU aNgErEd mY BrOtHeRs aGAiN!" Le Ciel cried like a banshee, immediately causing Almaz to turn to stone. The meek woman swiftly covered her head with her hands, knowing full-well how useless that would be in actually protecting her.

The freak reached into his coat pocket, presumably to take out his switchblade, but the leader stopped him.

"Settle down... I can handle this."

Le Ciel, still smiling, nodded his head as frantically as a child. "Okies, dear Adrian! Whatever you say!" He skipped back to the shade, and began humming again.

Adrian shook his head, then scowled once more at Rei. "My patience with you is wearing thin. I better not find any more reasons to kick you to the street, got that!?"

The long-haired woman nodded, tears in her eyes. "Y-Yes! I wwwwwwwwwwon't screw up again!"

"Good... Now, wait for us at the cabin."

"OOOOOOOkay!" At once, Rei ran off. Almaz, finally back in control of his nerves, glared at his brother. When Adrian simply ignored him and returned to the book, the timid brother snarled, and then ran after his crying friend.

Alex rolled his eyes, and picked up the tome from the grass. "...Ready?"

"...Ready."

xxxxx

Almaz found a disheartened Rei sitting beneath a grand tree at the edge of the forest. Slowly, he approached the girl and took a seat beside her.

"...Here." The boy pulled out a juice box and offered it to his friend. The woman looked at the box, and then his face; through the tears, she smiled brighter than usual.

And again, the two sat in silence, watching the clouds go by from beneath the shade...

...

A few days later, the boys held another magic show, and Adrian revealed to the world his transformation. In the crowd, Rei (who couldn't afford another screw-up) spoke to two girls about the 'A Brothers' and explained their goal.

Unbeknownst to her, those two girls were actually IF and Lyrica, who you know full-well are friends of the CPUs... The rest was, well, explained last chapter.

...So Rei Ryghts, the woman who Adrian utterly despised, was partially responsible for alerting the goddesses about the rebellion's leaders...

...I don't like where all this is going, do you?

* * *

...

Arfoire eyed her 'son' curiously, ignoring his brash tone again. "...Stronger than me? Hah! No cheat could ever manage that." So, er, if Adrian isn't telling these stories, then why and how are we seeing them?

The boy shrugged. "Sure, whatever you say..."

"...Well? Aren't you dying to show me your transformation?"

The leader chewed on his thumbnail; hey, that habit's bad for your teeth! "Why? I have nothing to prove to you. I know I'm now stronger, you don't believe me, and that's that. Why should I go out of my way to prove myself? No matter what I do, you'd still deny everything... Heh, just like a child."

The Deity of Sin's face immediately reddened with pure, unadulterated rage... but she bit her tongue. Damn, this much restraint was bound to kill her.

However, it was by this time that the devilish woman wondered why exactly she was staying here. What was the real reason she came here in the first place? And if all she was getting was sass from this boy, then shouldn't she just leave?

...I don't know the real answer, nor do I think she does. Perhaps... she wanted company? Nah, that sounds too weird... But, if Arfoire was feeling uneasy about this mysterious author, maybe she was secretly trying to ask for... help?

...The Devil is... afraid? Right now, could she be the equivalent of a child sleeping in her mother's bed because she's scared of the dark? That's... ugh, that's freakin' creepy...

...Whatever the case may be, the Deity of Sin continued in her attempt to communicate. "...I am sure I would be disappointed with you either way... So, what is your ultimate plan anyways, boy? All these rallies and uprisings... what are they leading up to?" She, of course, knew the general answer, but she struggled to find anything else to say.

The full answer, however, was possibly more than she wanted to hear.

Adrian smirked. "...Hm, well, if you really wanna know, then I guess I could tell you. No skin off my bones..."

And thus, he began recounting the events that took place one week prior...

...

* * *

**DANCING WIZARD**

**(THE REBELLION'S IGNITION)**

_"...Lady Neptune speaks the truth: We are in love, and have been planning our wedding for months now. The Land of Black Regality and The Land of Purple Progress... are to unite as one. But, do not fret; Our citizens are still our top priority, and we'll think every step of the way on how to further better your lives. We will work extra hard to make sure that none of you are inconvenienced in absolutely any regard due to this unprecedented event... Well, thank you for your time... Good day..."_

The public announcement thusly came to an end.

"...It's time..."

Adrian stared at the television screen, his eyes indecipherable. He spoke those two short words with no emotion whatsoever, his voice merely droning out into the room. Jade nodded at once, and dialed someone's phone number.

"...Hey, Singe... They're ready now..."

In the next hour, the four boys prepared to launch their long-awaited plan: A rebellion the likes of which Gamindustri had never seen before. They would gather all their followers in Midgard to the east of Lastation's main city, and would pull off a miracle before everyone's very eyes: Mass teleportation to the grasslands outside Haneda City, north of Planeptune. From there, they would begin assaulting the small city, taking whatever government controlled it by complete surprise. Since everyone would be so focused on the news of the unprecedented wedding, the plan was sure to be a success.

They'd teleport back and forth between the two landmasses, taking one city at a time... Once all the small towns surrounding the capitals were occupied, the 'A Brothers' would lead their supporters in a siege on Planeptune and Lastation, preventing them from ever joining. Once the two nations had fallen, they'd slowly begin their conquest on the rest of Gamindustri...

...With the final preparations set, the boys moved out.

"And so it begins..."

xxxxx

The three brothers stood atop a hill just outside Midgard, overlooking the throng of anti-CPU supporters they had gathered (read: brainwashed) through their multitude of magic shows over the past months (Jade had stayed behind in Lastation, hiding out in the Avenir headquarters; Tch, coward). The citizens believed the boys were sent from Celestia itself to diminish the rule of the oppressive goddesses; they would lead them all to the salvation they long sought... or at least believed they long sought.

'Twas the dawn of the beginning of a new era in Gamindustri... but not all the brothers were confident in the plan.

While Adrian was ready to carry out the revolt with all of his energy, Alex and Almaz were anything but.

Alex walked up to the leader of the clan, and hesitantly spoke. "...Adrian... Before this gets out of hand, I just have to ask: Are you really sure you want to go through with this? You know we'll be public enemies if we do this, right?... Is it worth it? I mean... yeah, Jade has a reason to hate the CPUs, but what about us? Let's face it... We're not exactly the most moral individuals around..." The irritable brother looked down to his feet, shame swelling up inside of him. "Nepgear... Do you even know what I almost did to her at that school?... Ugh, it makes me cringe just to think about it... And yet, those chicks could have sent the bloody world to hunt us down and wipe us out, but you know what? They didn't... Hell, I bet they completely forgot about us. We were created to pretty much kill 'em, and they let us go... They can't be that bad, can they?" Indeed, they hadn't hunted them down yet... Did the CPUs feel merciful, or did they just... not care enough to look for them?

Adrian continued looking forward, standing tall. "Alex, do you know why we have the names we do?"

"W-Wha? Our names? I don't know, Mother pulled 'em outta a hat, or something? W-What's that have to do with jack-shit?"

"No... There's a purpose behind each and every one of our names... I used to wonder long and hard about this, so one day, I looked it up on one of Avenir's computers; It didn't take long for it to all become clear... Let me ask you one more thing: Do you know what the name 'Neptune' means?"

"...Er, what are you getting at? She's a CPU, the one that YOU were supposed to seduce."

The leader smiled sadly, still looking out at the crowd. "Hmm, yes, but the name has a more symbolic meaning than that... 'Neptune' was the god of the sea."

Alex quickly glanced over at Almaz, who could only stand there looking meek. "God of the sea...? Ok... Why this lesson on symbolic names?"

"Because that determined what my name, my IDENTITY, would be. Mother must have had an obscure sense of humor: The name 'Adrian' means 'The dark one, of the Adriatic Sea'... Heh, get it? In a rather obscure nutshell, my name implies I'm the evil counterpart to Neptune's pure self..." His eyes narrowed, but he continued looking forth. "What a cruel, stupid joke... Even my name is a sign of the CPUs' power... It's a sign that I- that WE- will never be treated as equals; will never be PEOPLE. Not only was I created because of those goddesses, but every single scrap of my identity, from my name to my eye color, concerns them as well! I can never live a normal life as long as those girls continue to rule the land... This has to be done."

Alex was silent, as was Almaz; what could they say?

Oh, but Adrian wasn't finished yet. "...The same pertains to you two, as well, though Mother tapped into a different humor pool for you. Your names are not symbolic as mine is; No, you are allusions to video game characters. Alex, you're named after some Kidd who used to be a famous mascot for Planeptune. And Almaz... you're named after another character with a love of justice and a long scarf-thing; Just like the woman you were made to love. And the rest of us OCs... The others were named after more characters, as well, each one pertaining at least in some regard to the woman they were meant to woo... Hell, one was even named after a guitar player." His face remained blank, his eyes unwavering. "All of us OCs are references... All except me. I... am named symbolically. There must be some sort of reason for that... There has to be a greater reason for who I am, other than a mere cruel prank by Mother! Surely my wretched existence must serve some higher purpose!"

The crowd stared high up at their messiah, completely enthralled by his mere presence. They couldn't hear him from all the way down there, but the very sight of him filled them with hope.

And still, Adrian went on. "...I was not chosen by Mother, nor am I doing any of this in her honor; Mother is but a petty fool... No, I must've actually been blessed by Pale Heart above... She chose ME to continue her legacy, Mother be damned! But... more than that: I'm doing this for us, all of us. Only I can stop the CPUs from getting stronger and stronger... This is my destiny; To not go through with this would be the equivalent of laying down and dying. Without this, we'd be nothing... Mere forsaken creations of a worthless pathetic creature."

The leader nodded his head resolutely, and held his arms out towards his loyal followers. His two brothers shared another nervous glance, realizing that he may have a point. They were cloned by Arfoire, possibly using the mythical Pale Heart as a base, just to absorb the souls of the CPUs and their allies. They were not individuals, and they would never belong. They were different, plain and simple... The only hope they could ever have at an actual life was if the goddesses lost their HDD, their power.

...

...They're... not individuals...

...They'll never fit in...

...never belong...

...They're different...

...Different, like...

...me?...

...I'm just like them...

...aren't I...?

...

...And so, the Yellow Bandana Rebellion began...

* * *

**MOTHER**

Arfoire cocked an eyebrow at the smirking young man. "...What exactly are you trying to say, boy?"

Adrian reclined even further into the seat. "I'm saying that I no longer need you, Mother... Nor did I ever, really."

"...What?"

"You gave the 'Crucial Codes' to us, and I am grateful for that... but you can no longer help us... You are no longer useful."

The Deity of Sin's face flared up in immense and horrible rage... again. "What!? How dare you speak to me like that, you insolent child! With a flick of my finger, I can reduce you to ash!"

The leader of the brothers looked in the evil woman's direction, his face quite deadpan. "Then do it. Kill me, Mother. If Pale Heart wills my death, then I must respect her wishes."

Arfoire almost, ALMOST, murdered her 'son' right then and there... but she didn't; she COULDN'T. The devil couldn't bring herself to kill her own creation... Was she actually feeling... well, feelings? That's... not right.

So she didn't smite the cocky boy, but boy, did she try to berate him. "How dare you turn your back to me, all for some mythical goddess! There is NO Pale Heart, boy!"

"Oh, Pale Heart exists, Mother... You cloned her, remember?"

The Deity looked at the boy with her head slightly tilt to the side. "...Hm?" Truth be told... Arfoire didn't remember the details of creating the OCs... er, which this script claims that SHE told you directly in the last main story... I must've missed that.

All she remembered was having an idea, and then finding the tome in the plane of nothingness; the Devil can't be bothered to deal with details! Hell, she couldn't reliably say whether the first creation was a girl or boy... or whether it was her creation at all, or just simply the being she based the creations on.

...Hm, uh, the script says to read up on Act 5, Scene 2 of the last main story for the rest of her ramblings... That's odd advice... What good will rereading do for you? There can't possibly be important facts in the previous stories that spell the future of this saga, can there?

"...I... did no such thing! I..."

"Such a fool, Mother... You have so much power, and yet you squander it!" The boy jumped up from his seat, and walked to the front door. "I renounce you, Arfoire; Pale Heart is my Mother! No... I am Pale Heart, reincarnated in this time of turmoil!" What's with the clichéd and hammy speech?

The Deity clenched her cold, dark fists. "...You have no destiny other than what I chose for you, boy! Do you want to know the only reason I gave you three the book?"

"...I don't particularly care... but fine, grace me with knowledge."

Arfoire, utterly enraged, grabbed her 'ex-son' by the collar of his shirt, pulling him up close to her menacing face. "You were to master the magic the tome contains, gather enough support, and then rise in rebellion against those disgusting CPUs... Sound familiar?"

Adrian's facial features didn't change. "Seems to ring a bell."

"Grrrr... You've followed my outline to a 'T' so far... You wanna know how the story ends?"

"Won't that spoil the fun?"

At this, the Deity began smirking. "...You and your brothers... die. You fail... spectacularly, even. Your little rebellion only serves to kick off a much greater conflict, one that WILL kill the goddesses. You three, however, will be remembered forever as buffoonish religious zealots who were only good at making noise... And you'll even fail at being a total mockery, since only the most devoted scholars would even care to record your exploits. You boys are destined to lose!"

The leader's eyes still remained stone-cold. "...I don't care."

"WHAT!?"

"I don't care. If I'm destined to fail, then I'll fail... But it won't be because you willed it, Arfoire; it will be due to MY own weakness! No matter what, I am solely responsible for my battles; no one else!"

Arfoire was completely losing control. At this point, she forgot that her entire scheme hinged on this rebellion; now, she was merely trying to understand what her 'son' was thinking... Despairing rage clouds all judgement. "...If you know you will fail, then why even fight!? Why!?"

"...Because I need to do this! I'm not fighting for you... Hell, at the end of the day, I'm not even fighting on Pale Heart's behalf... No, I'm doing this for me. Screw destiny, screw the odds... and screw YOU!"

"...You are the fool here, boy! I CREATED you!"

"I'm not a slave to you, Arfoire. I owe you NOTHING!" The Deity was utterly stunned, which allowed Adrian to escape her grasp. Unshaken, he opened the front door, and motioned outside. "...Now, I have things to do... so GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

The Devil stared wide-eyed at the brown-haired young man, looking more confused than... well, ever. She had never looked so... human before.

"...Fine, I'm going... I pray your death is as slow and agonizing as possible..." With that, she stormed outside, leaving behind the 'son' that had renounced her.

Adrian rolled his eyes, and slammed the door shut.

...

The Deity of Sin didn't teleport to wherever she usually resides right away... No, she stood outside for a while, her hands quivering with a certain kind of rage she had never felt before. "Why am I so angry? He's doing... exactly what I planned... yet I'm..."

"That's the pain of being a parent, Arfy... Tee hee, you almost look cute, being this confused..."

Arfoire quickly spun around, now laying eyes on a brown-haired young woman. "Who are y... Wait, I've seen you before..."

The girl- Ah crap, yep, it's her again- smiled playfully at the Devil. "You remember me? Didn't think your thick skull could retain memories like that."

"...You brought that Heroine to me a year ago, although I never asked for any assistance... Yes, but there must be something more as well..."

Cerise(?) began chuckling like a schoolgirl, and she skipped over to the villain(?). "I doubt you can remember THAT far back... Oh, back when I let you put me in a tube..."

"...Wait, what?" Ugh, hearing Arfoire constantly asking questions is giving me the creeps.

The strange woman looked at her wrist, where there still was no watch. "Oh, I better be going... Just wanted to say hi, Arfy-baby!... Hm, but before I go..."

**THE DEITY OF SIN**

Arfoire was confused (no shit). "W-What was that just now!?"

"Tee hee... a little late for a title, but this vignette has now become yours! Reliable readers will know that means you're now eligible to be... my bitch!" Cerise flashed a thumbs up at... er, me!? You!?... and started to skip away. "Good luck out there, Arfy!"

It took a moment, but the devilish woman finally realized what had just happened. "...T-That girl... She was my first OC... No, I used her for the OCs, didn't I? Is she... Pale Heart...!?" Indeed; 'Cerise' was the denizen of the first tube, the one with the scratched-off name. But more than that... she had just altered the script on a mere whim... "She's the... author!? No... NO!" Not even the Deity of Sin was too powerful for the mysterious script-writer to control. Anyone who had a section devoted to them was in danger, as Red explained a few chapters back... Arfoire's in danger!? Can that even be possible!?

...What about me, then? Am I at risk too!?

...Oh, who cares... This chapter's almost done. Just one scene left...

**THE DEITY OF SIN: END ;)**

* * *

And so, time went by, and more cities fell... until finally...

**ACRYLIC WALL**

**(THREE WEEKS AFTER THE REBELLION'S IGNITION; ONE DAY BEFORE S.R.A.T.S)**

'Twas a lighthearted scene: A pretty young girl casually strolled through the plains, her pink hair billowing cheerfully in the wind...

However, this girl wasn't the most... er, usual person you'd come across; that is, unless people normally carry around large syringes wherever you're from?

Yes, you astute readers should know that this young lass is Compa, Gamindustri's star nurse-in-training... Huh, is she still 'in-training' after all this time? Damn status quo...

The girl was humming happily to herself, most likely on her way to her Grandpa's house... or something.

...She wasn't alone, however... Oh no, we have yet another cameo this chapter.

"My darling Compa... Where are you off to, my dear?" Yep, good ole Pirachu is still hanging in there. Did Underling actually feed him off-camera? Very, very interesting...

So, this scene features an oblivious Compa peacefully strolling down a grassy path, and a voyeuristic rat secretly stalking her... What a perfect set-up for comedy!

...Oh, but, er... this isn't a comedic scene... Wait, according to last Chapter, didn't something bad happen to Compa?...

Oh no... Hint of an answer? In THIS story?

The medic continued on for a while, with the mouse in tow... However, before too long, she happened upon a most peculiar gathering. "Who are those people? They don't seem to be the type to take peaceful walks..."

Indeed they weren't; Compa had unwittingly stumbled upon a private meeting of the ringleaders of the Yellow Bandana Rebellion...

**RECALLED MANAGER (part 2)**

A tense confrontation was in mid-progress, apparently.

"You USELESS piece of SHIT! I knew you were bad news... I KNEW IT!" Adrian screamed at a silver-haired woman.

Rei Ryghts, the poor girl, cowered in absolute horror. "IIIIIIIIIII'm so, so sorry, Mr. Adrian! I-I didn't mean for any of this to happe-"

"Shut your friggin' mouth! Ever since you joined us, you've caused nothing but trouble! I should've gotten rid of you long ago..."

Almaz stepped in, holding his arms out in front of his friend as an act of defense. "Stop yelling at Rei! It wasn't her fault!"

Even Alex spoke up in the woman's defense. "Yeah brother, how the hell was she supposed to know? And besides, this isn't the end of the bloody world! Wouldn't the goddesses have figured out about us eventually? Did you seriously not expect this!?"

All the while, Jade stood on the sidelines, smiling to himself...

...A little more backdrop: Jade, having gathered info through 'sources unknown,' had just informed the three brothers that the goddesses were onto them, and would begin hunting them down within a day or two to abruptly end the rebellion. His excuse on why the CPUs knew so much about them?

_"Two cohorts of the CPUs, a Miss IF and that pop idol 5pb, heard a great deal about you boys at one of your shows... And you can thank our darling little Rei for that..."_

Things didn't look too good for the professional-looking woman; although she had meant well, she gave the wrong information to the wrong people that day. Adrian, as you just witnessed, didn't take too kindly to all of this. The short tolerance he had for the meek girl had completely shattered, and he lashed out.

...He became VERY angry...

"The goddesses aren't supposed to know about us yet! Everything would go much more smoothly if we had a little bit more time..." He glared at Rei with vicious, cold eyes. "...But this worthless sack of shit screwed up... again! That's all you're good for, huh? Shooting plans down the shitter?"

The shy woman continued to cower behind Almaz. "IIIIII'm really really really sorry! I know I'm worthless... B-But g-give me ano-"

"SHUT UP! I hate it when you speak! I want to strangle you every time I hear your goddamned voice sputter out some useless pollution of air! I... I...!" The leader of the brothers, more furious than he had been in a long while, began clutching his chest tightly. "...S-Shit!" Er, is he having a heart attack?

Before anyone could jump in to aid him, the leader became engulfed in that familiar light... and reappeared in his HDD-esque state... What, getting mad automatically triggers the 'Infinite Fury' cheat? That's... plausible.

"What the...? Why did I transform?" He looked frantically at everybody in the group: Alex, Almaz, Jade, Rei, and Le Ciel. "...It must be a sign... Rei Ryghts: you are hereby dismissed!"

The silver-haired woman began to cry hysterically. "NNNNO! Please no, Mr. Adrian! I-I'll get better, I promise!"

"No... You won't, and you know it... You're out of our group permanently!" Adrian thought for a moment, the golden aura around him adding quite the disturbing effect to the scene. "...But you know too much to simply turn away from us... Ciel, do your thing! I won't stop you anymore... Hell, I shouldn't have stopped you the other times." W-What the hell!? Is he... telling him to kill her!?

...

In the background, Compa was watching in horror from behind a bush. While the screaming had been frightening in its own right, the transformation had completely caught her off-guard.

Utterly perturbed and mortified, the medic did the first thing that came to mind: Call IF.

"I-Iffy... Something scary is happening..."

_"Compa? W-What's going on? Are you alright!?"_

"T-There are these boys screaming at each other, and one transformed just like Nep-Nep!... I'm scared, Iffy!"

And it was all about to get worse...

...

Back at the unfolding scene, Le Ciel had stepped up, quite eager to get this party started. "Mmmm... how I've lOnGeD to KilL you, old HaG! Come..." He licked his switchblade suggestively. "...Come TaStE my bLaDe!"

Rei was in too much shock to move, and thus was unable to defend herself from the creep's knife thrust. Almaz, too, was simply frightened of the man, as always...

In a flash, the murderous creep was running towards her, his legs moving so fast that he seemed to be little more than a blur.

...Almaz, if this had been a mere one month earlier, would have simply allowed himself to remain frozen... However, he knew that his best friend's life was in utter danger, and if he didn't do something, then...!

...

So the timid young boy, scared shitless at the mere thought of Le Ciel... quickly stepped in the way of the blade. His eyes firmly closed, he pulled out his magic orb, and punched it up towards the impending mad man. He muttered beneath his breath: "Protect her... Please protect her..."

Le Ciel quickly reached Almaz, and a tart 'Squish' sound filled everyone's ears...

The brown-haired young man and the pale murderer looked into each other's eyes, having been brought face-to-face from the close encounter.

Almaz stared wide-eyed, and Le Ciel grinned his trademark smile...

Rei looked on in horror, as did the rest of the group; blood was dripping onto the pure grass at an alarming rate... "...A-Almaz!"

The brown-haired young man continued staring, whilst Le Ciel's smile... slowly began to devolve into... a frown.

...For the presumed first time in his life, the pale creep lost his grin; it's hard to smile with a magic long sword in your gut, after-all.

With a sudden burst of energy, Almaz pulled the orb away from the man's chest, revealing that it had indeed became a weapon... Le Ciel remained standing for a moment, but eventually fell backwards onto the calm grass, blood pouring from his major wound.

The brown-haired young man took a few steps, but also collapsed onto his knees; the switchblade was lodged in his side, though not too deep.

Rei, still crying, quickly ran to the boy's aid. "O-Oh no! TTTThis is all my fault! Please be okay!"

Through pained eyes, Almaz smiled up at his friend. "Heh... I'm alright... Stop blamin' yourself for everything, please... It makes me sad..."

"W-Why did you do that!? Y-You could've been killed!"

"...You're my friend, Rei... That's reason... enough..." The brown-haired young man, feeling faint, succumbed to the feelings of exhaustion. In no time flat, he slept like a baby in his best friend's arms. All she could do was sob and softly rub his hair.

...It was the first time someone had ever fought for Rei Ryghts... She would certainly never forget this...

...

Meanwhile, Alex and Adrian stared down at the mortally wounded Le Ciel. "...Whaddo we do with him, Adrian?

"...We can try to heal him. We probably can find a spell or two..."

The irritable brother jerked his head towards the leader. "...Heal him!? Are you off your rocker!? All he's ever done is kill people and make our lives so much more uncomfortable... Saving him would be very, very bad!"

"...He was a useful asset to us... If Almaz didn't interfere, we would've been rid of Rei..."

"Rei is not the problem! This CREEP is the bane of our group!" Alex shook his head. "What the hell's the matter with you anyways? You've been acting like a completely different person ever since we became the Yellow Bandanas! It's like you don't give a shit about anything else anymore!"

Adrian continued to stare down at the dying man, his stoic expression never wavering. "...To get what we want, we all have to make sacrifices... I gave up my pity for others."

"...What the hell...? You know that this whole rebellion is allegedly to help the people, right? If you don't care about them, then...?"

"..." The leader didn't continue; he could only stare at the pale murderer.

...What is happening to him...? I'd like to say that the 'Infinite Fury' cheat had negative side-effects on him, but... he was acting like this before that, wasn't he?

What could've made him act so indifferent to everything but the rebellion?

It wasn't... Isara, was it?

...

Le Ciel began coughing, breaking the momentary silence. Blood leaking from his mouth, he attempted to grin again. "H-Help me, Alex-darling... Help your lovely Le Ciel..."

Alex's eyes widened , but he didn't answer. "..."

By now, Jade had helped Rei remove the switchblade from the slumbering boy. Not wanting to bloody his delicate hands, the aristocrat tossed the knife away, right by the irritable brother's foot.

"..." Still silent, he bent down to pick up the bloody weapon. He considered finishing off the pale man right then and there... but much like Arfoire, he showed restraint. "...Fine... Heal him..."

Adrian nodded without a second thought, then ushered for Jade to bring him the tome. He found a cheat called 'Full health' under the Level 42 section, and entered in 'L1, L1, L2, L2, L1, R1, L1, R1, R2, R1.' A ding sounded, and Le Ciel's eyes widened in surprise.

...Er, what did it do? His wound is still right there...

Alex shrugged in confusion, and the leader thought for a moment. "...Guess the wound's too severe... Even this tome can't defeat death..."

Le Ciel coughed again. "Please... help me stand! I can live if you help me stand..." Through half-lidded eyes, he smiled 'warmly' up at Alex. "Please, Alex-darling... Surely you'd help your bestest friend?"

The ill-tempered brother considered the creep's words... He thought of everything the two of them had been through over all this time...

Whatever his mind flashed back to, it made him do this:

"...Here, grab my hand..." H-Huh? Alex held out his hand, allowing Le Ciel to pull himself up. The creep smiled, although he looked more pale than ever.

"Thank y...ou, my dar...ling Alex... Now, I just need... a bandage..." Or, like, forty bandages; There's a gaping hole in his chest!

The corner of Alex's mouth coiled into an indecipherable smirk. "Yeah, let's get you... patched up..."

The pale man attempted to grin, but it wasn't as wide as usual. He moved close to the irritable brother, and wrapped his arms around him in a huge hug. "...Thank you, friend... Thank you..." Did... the code actually somewhat work? Could a normal man stand like that with such a glaring wound?

Alex laced his left arm around the man, returning the embrace. "...Anything for you... buddy."

Pllkkcchh!

Le Ciel's eyes widened, and he looked down in bewilderment at his stomach; the brown-haired young man, with his free right hand, had plunged the switchblade deep inside the creep's open wound. He wriggled the knife a few times, and then forcefully yanked it out...Guess saving him's out of the option at this point.

"Alex, what did you do!?" The leader screamed, his facial expression oddly still the same.

The pale man coughed up one final spurt of blood, and then fell backwards. Eyes eternally wide open, he was no more.

...

In the background, Compa was understandably a wreck. "I-I-Iffy! T-They... stabbed someone twice! He... I don't think I'd be able to help him!"

_"What the hell!? Shit, Compa, get out of there! Just stay on the line, okay!?"_

"O-Okay! I-I'll run as fast as I can!" The medic yelled... a little too loudly. Purely accidental, as her nerves were simply out-of-control; yours would too after witnessing a double stabbing on the same guy.

Jade immediately turned in the direction of the voice, and saw the fleeing girl. "...Yo, Adrian! She witnessed everything!" The aristocrat clearly did not want anyone to know that he was in league with the A Brothers... This voyeuristic girl had to be apprehended.

IF, still on the line, heard the yell, though she couldn't make out the voice's identity (as she didn't know Jade at the moment).

_"Did someone just say 'Adrian!?' Crap, it is them..."_

The leader also directed his attention towards the runner, and panicked; in all their conquests on the cities, the brothers themselves explicitly opted against killing... The last thing they needed right now was a clear-cut murder charge. "Get her, quick! Don't let her escape!"

"You're the one with the powers!"

Adrian and Jade ran in pursuit, whilst Alex, Rei, and the unconscious Almaz remained behind. The two that were awake stared down at Le Ciel's corpse, which vanished after a few more moments. "...W-Why did he... dddddisappear?"

"...It doesn't matter... Good riddance."

...

Compa tried to escape, she really did, but you've all watched horror films, right? What happens to the heroine when she's running through the forest or wherever in a desperate attempt to escape from the killer?

...She trips... and the nurse-in-training reinforced that trope to a T.

"O-Ow... My shoulder..." The girl winced, rubbing her pained area. 'Twas a nasty fall indeed... That wasn't the worst part, however.

_"Compa, what happened!? Did you escap-"_ Adrian made it to the downed girl first and violently kicked the phone out of her hand. Breathing heavily, he picked it up.

"...Who the hell is this?"

_"...You're Adrian, I take it?"  
_"..."

_"...You just signed your own death warrant, dirtbag... We're coming to get you and yer shitty party of assholes! If you lay even one finger on her, I'll freakin' kill y-"_

*Click* The leader shut off the phone and tossed it back to the grass. Not caring about the cost of the electronic device, he took his foot and stomped it to pieces. "..."

Compa was close to tears, but in too much shock to actually cry. "PPPPPPPlease, let me go! I-I-I'm not dangerous at all!"

Jade looked up at Adrian... and with a smirk, swiftly karate-chopped the medic's neck, knocking her straight out. "There, won't be much trouble to us now."

Oh, but wait, there's more! "C-Compa! H-How dare you freaks attack my angel!? I'll murder ya!" Pirachu to the rescue! Finally, he does something in this fanfic saga!

The heroic rat's grubby little feet moved at mach speed... er, well, not really, but you know what I mean. He reached the aristocrat and reared back his tail, preparing for a massive strike that could possibly knock a mid-leveled adventurer down to half HP.

"Take this!" Pirachu began the swing, his fiery tail moving in a sharp arc towards the enemy.

"..." Still silent, Adrian walked behind the rat, raised his right leg, and kicked the poor critter into a nearby rock.

Pirachu lay silent, also knocked out cold... Well, it was nice while it lasted...

Jade shrugged and flipped his hair. "...Any more visitors?" He scooped up the mouse and tossed him towards the leader of the brothers. "Here... Guess you boys have two hostages now."

Adrian rolled his eyes, but knew that it was the only safe course to take. "...Jade, that girl on the phone... she knew who I was. Must be one of the 'friends' of the CPUs... She said they're coming for us. Our busty hostage is on their side as well, it seems..."

The aristocrat nodded, contemplating the young man's words... Hm, he doesn't really seem to be thinking too hard, though... Why? "...Then you boys need to hide. Take all of your supporters and flee somewhere safe."

"...And where would we go? Where can I hide hundreds... no, THOUSANDS of rebels?"

"Heh heh... Right in plain view, of course! Northwest of Haneda City is a huge mountain range... That was the first city to fall, so who would ever guess that you guys would stay in the general vicinity? It's the perfect hiding spot." This bastard... is setting them up! Last chapter, Jade told our heroines that the A Brothers were hiding in that mountain range... But, he's the very person that told Adrian to hide there! Why!? What's his plan!?

...Did he want Le Ciel to die? Did he want Adrian to detest Rei Ryghts? How much of this is his plan, and what's improvised? Whose side is this Jade guy on, anyways!?

The leader of the brown-haired young men thought for a moment, then nodded. Holding his hand out, he... smiled. "...That's a good idea, actually... Thanks Jade, I knew I could count on you."

The aristocrat faked a smile, and shook his "friend's" hand. "...Heh, no problem at all... Now go; you don't have much time to gather everyone, y'know! Get to safety... I'll be watching everything from within Avenir's walls."

Adrian simply nodded, and ran off to get the rest of his party. He shared a long look with Rei Ryghts, but neither of them spoke a word of what had happened with Le Ciel.

Alex, as well, looked wearily at his brother. "...What's up, bro? Got some hostages, I see?"

"...Alex... Rei... we need to get out of here. The CPUs are preparing to strike anytime. Best case, we have two days max! Let's take the hostages and our supporters and hide where we can't possibly be found..."

By now, the irritable brother had completely mellowed out to everything. He briefly took in Adrian's words. "...Okay, let's move our bloody asses, then." He motioned his head towards Rei. "She coming too?"

The leader grimaced for a second, but reluctantly nodded. "Yes... Might as well take you along for the ride."

The meek woman nodded frantically, still quite fearful. "TTTTThank you, M-Mr. Adrian sir! I-I'll carry Almaz until he w-wakes up!"

"Good... Could use the extra set of hands..." Adrian then noticed the bloody patch of grass. "Hey... where'd Le Ciel go?"

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Hm? He died, bro... Didn't Jade say something like dead people affected by magic get trapped forever in the tome if they die? Sucks, but that creep's forever... in our hands now..."

The orchestrator of the Yellow Bandana Rebellion did indeed remember that little piece of exposition... If you die in a certain time-span, your body disappears, and your soul gets transferred into the hallowed cheat book.

No body means... no funeral; at least, not properly. Nothing left to mourn, nothing left to bury...

...Nothing left to bury... nothing left to bury...

Everyone who died and vanished were technically... still alive, right? Granted, they were stuck eternally in a purgatory state, but they at least weren't dead.

Their bodies simply moved somewhere else... The dead were alive...

...Whilst Adrian figured this all along, having it confirmed hurt him in a way he couldn't even begin to describe. No body most likely meant no grave, correct?

Then, what did that imply for the one individual from his past who HAD been given a burial? His mind traveled back yet again to that deserted village...

...It wasn't fair... Le Ciel got to live forever, but... SHE didn't?

...

With a face devoid of all sadness or rage, Adrian clenched his fists and nodded. "Yeah, stupid question... C'mon, we've got work to do..."

And so, the heads of the Yellow Bandana Rebellion set off to the mountain range in the vicinity of Haneda City...

None of them too sure what they intended to accomplish...

**THE YELLOW STORM IS NEARLY UPON US!**

* * *

...Not much left now folks, and I mean it this time...

I guess next chapter, we'll see the goddesses and their friends... relax... Ugh, I can't help but feel there's something symbolic there...

...*sigh* Til next time...


	12. Yuuki Rinrin!

**S.R.A.T.S. HEADQUARTERS- THE EVE OF THE WAR**

Here we are: Part two of two of the S.R.A.T.S. arc! This chapter... looks to be another oddly organized one, so bear with me please.

...

We're so close to the end... Just a bit further...

Let's get this show on the road!

* * *

"Verty, you're just gonna sit there?"

Lady Green Heart, completely exhausted, looked up at her 'sister.' "Hm? Why, yes, I am perfectly content right here... I am much too worn out to take part in the festivities; do forgive me, dearest Chika." She smiled as brightly as she could muster, waving her hand up and down dismissively.

The oracle's eyebrow raised quite profoundly, but she simply nodded. "...Okay then..." With that, she left the room.

... Leanbox's CPU had been dealing with a horrid headache the entire day... Hell, she'd been dealing with headaches for at least a few weeks! By now, the pain had utterly enveloped her, and she practically drowned herself out from the rest of the world.

...That is, until a very important voice reached out, pulling her from the darkness of her mind...

"Lady Vert... Are you alright? Lady Vert?"

The goddess was startled, and darted her head to find her dear friend IF. "M-Miss IF! I-I didn't see you there!"

The brunette smiled warmly, and took a seat across from the troubled woman. "You look down, my lady... What's wrong?"

The CPU shook her head. "...I do not wish to trouble you, Miss IF... And besides, I... really don't know... My head has been killing me for days now, and I'm not sure why..." But deep down, Vert really did know what was wrong... However, you know the drill by now: she'd never admit the problem to anybody.

The battle-hardened veteran frowned just a teensy bit. "Well, that's no good..." She then did something unexpected: IF reached out and tenderly clasped the goddess' hand!

"M-Miss IF!"

"Hm? No need to get so flustered, my lady; I just want to support you, is all." This seems... kinda odd...

But whatever was going on, Vert cheered up just a little; being close to the girl she loved always did that to her. "...Thank you, Miss IF... You're a true friend."

The CPU gazed at Iffy's pleasant face and smiled, content for the first time that day. The brunette smiled back in response, then took the time to circle her hand around the room. "So, didn't you want to party, Lady Vert? Look, everyone seems to be having fun... or at least doing their own thing..."

The goddess did indeed look at the party around her. Everyone was so filled with life... The gang hadn't been together like this since Christmas; busy year, I guess. Although she wasn't feeling well, the atmosphere around the CPU was indeed very warm and inviting.

"...I'd rather spend time... with you, Miss IF... B-But only if that isn't too out of line!" Smooth.

The battle-hardened veteran's cheeks developed a light rosy tint, but she nodded her head with a cheerful grin. "O-Of course, Lady Vert! I could never turn you down." What's with so much 'Lady?'

And so the two began talking, seemingly closed off from the rest of the world...

...Let's leave them be for now... This chapter doesn't seem to be too structured... or important... so let's just get it over and done with as soon as possible...

* * *

**LA DELE DELE**

The S.R.A.T.S commander, Chip, walked up to Kei and placed his hand upon her shoulder as an old friend would. "Don't worry bout the battle, babe; with me in charge, ain't no way we'll lose!" Wait, didn't he like Lyrica, or has he forgotten that?

The oracle stared at the hand on her shoulder, looking most displeased; this man wasn't a close friend... or even an acquaintance. "...I do not associate with people like you... And my name is Kei Jinguji, NOT 'babe'..."

Chip smirked, but took his hand away. "Sheesh, what is with you guys? Do none of you understand my charms?"

"...Yes, that's exactly it; your charm is simply overwhelming... Now please, go away."

"So cold, man... Heh, I love it!"

Well, that's a great way to start... Why are you reading this again?

Kei shook her head as the scumbag walked away, and cautiously darted her eyes from side to side... Huh? Oh, wait, I see...

Confirming that no one was watching, the stoic oracle quietly approached the sitting Blanc, and took a seat beside her. "...Do you want to stay here all night?"

The foul-mouthed goddess stealthily whispered into her ear. "Nah, I can't stand bein' around these brats for that long. Wanna sneak out?"

"...Of course." And that's what the two secret lovers did; they quietly snuck out into the night, away from the crowded S.R.A.T.S party room... Man, that couple still weirds me out...

* * *

**1. THE LEGENDS OF NEPTUNE AND NOIRE**

As the two walked out, Neptune gawked slyly at her fiancée. "So Noiwey, how long d'ya think Blawney and Robo have been shackin' it up?"

The tsundere double-taked. "W-What? Whaddya mean by that?... And 'Robo?'"

"You know: Your cyborg of an oracle has been tapping Blanc's sweet bootay! Ahhh, so androids can find love~" Well, which is it: Robo, Cyborg, or Android?

"Huh? Where'd you get that idea? If Kei was in a relationship, I would've noticed imm-" And then Lady Black Heart began thinking real hard... The odd looks Kei and Blanc shared; all those times the oracle had been missing from the Basilicom; her rather-impartial attitude to mistakes now... except when she was 'busy' on the phone in her room at night... "...Holy crap! Kei's in a relationship!... And with _Blanc?!_"

"I know, that's how I reacted! Huh... coulda sworn Blanc would've gone down the 'tapping Vert' route... Appeal to more fans that way, y'know?"

The tsundere's revelation left her flabbergasted. She hadn't recognized the clear-as-day signs until right that very second! How did she miss that? Had she simply been too caught up in her own life to notice everyone else around her? Did she simply not _care_ to notice?

Come to think of it... Blanc had been much calmer, as well... Did love change those two? Did love have that kind of power? To completely and utterly alter one's entire character?

...It reminded her of when Neptune acted like a total...

"...N-Noire? Why are you quiet alla sudden?... W-Well!? S-Say something!"

Yeah, like that... Neptune acted like a total tsunde... Huh!?

Lady Black Heart's eyes widened, and she stared directly at her lover. "Hm? Nep... tune?"

"Why are you ssstaring at me? I-Idiot!" Uh oh... Was this happening again?

Last time, an intense moment of *cough* passion had apparently transformed the ditz into a tsundere... However, nothing of the sorts had happened in the past few hours, for sure! So how was th-

Noire suddenly came to a certain conclusion: Neptune was faking it, and was just trying to mess with her! Well, this actual tsundere wouldn't let it slide, that's for sure!

"...Because I luv ya, baby! I want yer bod!" Damn, Black Heart's... a natural at this...

The CPU of Planeptune accepted the challenge. "W-W-W-Wha!? H-How stupid are you!?"

"I'm only stupid for YOU, bay-bay!"'

"S-Stop that! You sound like a... like a... like a complete doofus!"

Noire grinned slyly, completely breaking all semblance of character. "Oh, come on! You know you love my eccentricity!"

Neptune puffed out her left cheek and turned her head away. "Hmph! Eccentricity's a pretty big word for you!"

"Then my radicawesomio-ness! You dig mah radicawesomio-ness!"

"T-That's not a word!" The former(?) ditz's entire face now flared a deep crimson color; ooh, she's certainly practiced! "...S-Stop making it seem like I care about you... I-I don't! I-It's not like I lllllllove you, or anything..." Hook, line, and sinker! She's got this in the bag.

But Noire had one last trick up her sleeve. "Oh yeah? Well," from her hammer-space came a cup of pudding, at least two months expired. "I have THIS!"

Neptune stared blank-faced at her fiancée... and the two broke down laughing. "Oh man, you're a natural ditz Noiwey!"

"Heh, you're not so bad yourself... T-Though, I don't sound like a tsundere all the time!"

The two embraced in the oddly touching scene... I would remark on how strange it was that Noire would go along with that whole schtick in public, but I guess the two were getting married... Nothing to hide anymore, right?

...

Though, not everyone was ready for the displays of affection yet. "W-Wah! Y-You guys are so embarrassing!" Uni cried, having walked right into the scene. With a blush, she wagged her finger at the two lovers for a moment, but then turned tail and ran.

Noire shook her head. "Jeez, she's one to talk... Still can't believe my sis is dating your sis..."

"I know, right!? Woah, when we get married, won't they be, like, sisters? Pretty kinky..."

"...I'm not sure it works that way... B-But, let's never mention it again in case..."

And so, the two that started it all- the lovers at the direct center of the calamity trigger well over a year ago- spent the evening simply relaxing together in the presence of all their friends. Nothing that lied ahead could ever tear them apart...

Nothing...

_"Yo, Noiwey, toss some jelly beans in mah mouth!"_

_"Why would I do that? Get them yourself!"_

_"Aw, but that's not as fun!"_

* * *

**2. THE LEGENDS OF NEPGEAR AND UNI**

"Geez... They shouldn't do embarrassing things in public..." Uni remarked, puffing out her cheek.

The purple-haired candidate smiled. "I think it's kind of cute, actually... Noire's never looked so happy before."

"Yeah, well... It's just weird, y'know!?"

The two innocent little sisters weren't really in the partying mood tonight, so they found themselves a quaint little corner of the S.R.A.T.S. recreation room and sat together in peace.

However, one little disappointing piece of news was about to drop on them...

Histoire hovered over to the sisters, Mina right behind her. "Hello Nepgear, Uni... We have something we wish to discuss with you..."

The purple sister smiled at her oracle. "Sure Histoire... What is it?"

Uni eyed the tome suspiciously, but she listened to the fairy's words. "Now, this may come as a disappointment, but... well, we have all decided that it'd be in everyone's best interests if the CPU Candidates... stayed out of tomorrow's battle."

The lovers blinked at the floating book for a few seconds, then recoiled in shock. "W-What!? Y-You wanna leave us behind!?" Poor Nepgear cried. "But... But we can fight too! W-We're almost as strong as our older sisters!"

The young tsundere was clearly offended. "Y-Yeah! What's the problem with us helping, huh? I can beat Noire in a fight any day!"

Histoire looked to Mina for support, but the scholarly woman simply smiled with embarrassment and looked away. Thanks for the help. "...I know you all are more than capable to hold your own, but this is strictly a matter for the CPUs. Nothing, I dearly pray, will go wrong... but should something of such degree unfortunately occur, it'd be better to ensure you candidates are safe from harm."

It was a delicate situation, and Uni was beginning to listen to reason. She still didn't like getting the shaft... but if she was going to become a CPU someday, she'd have to learn to pick and choose her battles. She had to respect the tome's words.

However, Chip chose that second to stumble by, already drunk off his ass, and firmly gripped the young tsundere's shoulder. "What little lady-lay is tryin' to say is your accuracy sucks major Lickers! Better you stay home and not waste the ammo on the air AND your teammates! Those magician bastards have probably enabled friendly-fire, y'know! Just sayin..."

Histoire and Mina immediately responded in the negative about the dirtbag's comment, but Black Sister was too appalled to care. Insulted, her cheeks flared red and she wagged her finger frantically, trying desperately to find something to say.

...Failing that, though, she "Hmph'ed!" and stormed outside.

"U-Uni, wait!" Nepgear cried. She began to follow, but stopped to look at the S.R.A.T.S. commander. "Y-You're a real jerk, you know that!? Golly, I hope she's alright..." Without another word, she ran off.

Histy sighed, and looked to Mina. "...That could've gone much more smoothly..."

"She'll be fine; she's a big girl," the scholarly woman then rubbed her forehead. "I guess it's time to break the news to the children..."

Unsure of where Uni had run to so quickly, Nepgear searched high and low around the headquarters, until she finally heard several gunshots outside. "Uni?"

Lastation's candidate was aiming at a tree a few feet away, her triple-barreled shotgun ready to fire. With a grunt, she blasted another round of bullets, miraculously missing each one. "Damn it!"

The purple-haired candidate slowly walked up to her girlfriend. "Uni, are... you okay?"

The black-haired tsundere tried to tune the girl out, and took another few shots... which also missed. "...They're right..."

"Hm?"

"...I'm not fit to fight with them; I can't even hit a tree! I'd only hurt someone by accident..."

Nepgear suddenly hugged her fellow candidate from behind. "Don't say that! That shotgun is pretty gimmicky... Why don't you switch back to a rifle or something?"

Uni turned her head, hiding her bright-red face. "...B-Because we worked on this gun together... I NEED to make it work!"

The two stood in silence for a moment, until Planeptune's candidate ended the hug. Silent, she clutched Uni's hand and made her raise the gun once again. "Go on," she smiled.

Lastation's candidate grew flustered even further, but simply nodded. Supported by her dearest friend, she fired three more bullets at the stationary target.

Splinters filled the air, symbolizing a direct hit!

Uni, her spirits lifted, gazed dreamily at Nepgear, her mind hazy and desperate to find the right words to say.

...But, perhaps, there were no words to say. Maybe words couldn't express everything...

The love between these two... Putting it in physical terms would feel cheap, wrong...

Love... Can words express love and emotion? Can they really? Can simple text accomplish such a thing?

...You're the one who's been reading this up until now; you tell me.

_"...I-I guess I'll let you hug me a little longer... B-But only this once!"_

_"Hm? But goodness, we even sleep in the same bed now."_

_"W-Wah!? Don't say that out loud!"_

* * *

**3. THE LEGENDS OF RAM AND ROM**

"Whaddaya mean we can't fight!?"

"I wanna help... everyone..."

Mina smiled down at the children, both charmed and alarmed at their eagerness to take part in a possible war. "I'm sorry girls, but tomorrow may be far too dangerous to have you around!"

Ram certainly did not take to this well. "W-What are you trying to say, poop-nose!? That we're not mature enough to fight in an army?"

Rom hid behind her hands. "We can... do it..."

The scholarly oracle sighed, but held her ground. "I know you two are more than capable, but it simply can't be done. Two cute young girls like you would attract the wrong kind of attention on the battlefield, especially from the press."

The loud child puffed out her cheeks, actually secretly listening to reason for once. "Hmph! Well... if that's what everyone thinks of us, then... maybe I don't wanna help!" Didn't say she was fine with it.

Mina began patting the twins' heads. "We all appreciate your desire to fight, but-"

"It'd be much safer if you stayed home." A mystery voice interjected. Everyone turned to see Jade smiling like a smug ass. What's he want?

"What's the smug ass want?" Ram snarked, folding her arms. Hey, I just said that!

The aristocrat swayed his hand back and forth in the air, perhaps trying to look elegant. "I am merely voicing my agreement with dearest Mina. First thing in the morning, you two are to be sent back to Lowee with the other two CPU Candidates. From my understanding," he motioned towards the oracle, "the great wall Lady Blanc had ordered is now fully constructed? Seeing as Lowee is not a current target, and that wall was meant to keep destructive creatures like dragons out of the castle, you all will be safe from harm in a worst-case scenario."

Mina nodded; the wall surrounding Lowee's castle/Basilicom had been fully finished a mere few weeks ago, just in time for the one-year anniversary of the dragon swarm. White Heart wasn't taking any chances with the... harmless creatures.

Ram was about to retort, but Rom quickly clutched her sleeve. "Huh? Leggo Rom!"

"It will be... all right. Let's stay in Lowee... with Nepgear." The quiet child smiled, appearing wiser than her age. She must've seen the sense in the adults' words. Good kid.

The brash child could only give in to her wishes, and zipped her mouth shut. Truth be told, spending a day with Nepgear would be rather nice... not that she'd ever say such a thing!

So, the two children nodded, Ram still looking as pissed as a loli could be. They had to face the facts: they weren't gonna be able to take part in the war.

Content, Jade bowed gracefully before turning and walking further into the room. Mina did the same, not wanting to take the risk of angering the children further. After this past year, the oracle was simply too emotionally drained to try...

The pink-clad child sighed, then darted her head around frantically. "Hmm... well, we can't kick ass in battle, but... we CAN defend our home at least! I guess..." No matter what, the disappointment wouldn't go away.

But the blue-clad loli wasn't ready to let that bring her down! She happily clasped her sister's hand. "We'll... SUPER defend Lowee! Mina trusts us with defending our home, so we can... do it!"

That brought a small smile to Ram's face. "Y-Yeah, you're right! We'll beat the stuffing outta anyone who even looks at our castle the wrong way!" Ah, future leaders...

And the night went on for the children; two unfortunate girls living in a world where adults decide their fate...

_"Oooh! Rom, let's play over there!"_

_"I don't wanna. I'm... tired..."_

_"Aw, come on, party-pooper! Now you're starting to sound like Blanc..."_

* * *

**4. THE LEGEND OF JADE**

_Roughly over a month prior to the party, back before the aristocrat had introduced Rei Ryghts to the A Brothers, he was visited by a familiar face... once again._

_It was 3 AM... The heart of the witching hour._

_"...Hello Lil J..."_

_The elegant boy was startled awake by a sing-songy voice, though all he could see around his bed was darkness. "W-Who's there!?"_

_No movement. "It's just me, Jadey... I've come to tell you something important..." That familiar female voice again..._

_The aristocrat's eyes narrowed, still essentially blind. "...Cerise, is that really you?"_

_"Hehe... Kinda... But that's not the important part! I'm here to talk about the brothers you've been hanging out with."_

_"You mean Adrian's group? What about them? I did what you told me long ago... Y'know, befriend any holder of that tome? I've been helping them for months now."_

_"That's wonderful, JJ. Now, though, I- I mean, PALE HEART- needs you to sabotage them."_

_This caused Jade to dramatically tilt his head. "W-What!? S-S-Sabotage them? But... why?"_

_"I dunno... Pale Heart commends you thus far, but has decided that remaining with those brothers for much longer will be a horrible idea. They are heading on down a path that leads only to death... I don't want to see you get hurt, Lil J."_

_"But... they're my... friends. And we're doing so well..."_

_"It will all come crumbling down eventually, Jadey. Those boys are destined to fail, and they'll take you down with them... unless you secretly turn against them."_

_"I don't think I... can..."_

_"Jade, do you want to take revenge on Green Heart?"_

_The aristocrat was once again thrown for a loop. "G-Green Heart? O-Of course... That's my life's purpose..."_

_"Then betray them. I promise, if you listen to what I have to say, you will get the perfect opportunity for vengeance."_

_"Cerise..."_

_..._

Jade was now casually strolling around the S.R.A.T.S. party room, resigned to the decision he made. In the end, he had sabotaged his friends in the hopes of destroying Vert...

They were his only friends... Jade had no one, apart from them and Singe, his fatherly figure. Now, he had condemned them to die...

"...I'm sorry, boys... I'm sorry, Adrian..."

...

Oh well... Perhaps it was better off this way.

The aristocrat, having just set-up another step of his plan by convincing Ram and Rom to stay in Lowee, was ready to leave this crowded scene. However, he stopped in his tracks when he caught a glimpse of the target of his utter hatred.

"...How easy would it be to kill her right here?"

At the table in the center was, of course, Lady Green Heart, clearly in pain. The woman he so longed to murder... helpless right in front of him! Everything would end if he simply walked over and slit her throat...

However, Jade wasn't going to be a martyr or anything; his goal wasn't a suicide run. If he killed Vert, he fully intended to live his days out in peace, free from all chains.

...Bloodying his hands here would only land him in jail... or worse. For now, he had to show restraint...

His unknowing mortal enemy was safe for at least one more day...

"Hey, stop right there, ya jerk!" Yet another familiar female voice... though this one not nearly as pleasant.

Jade turned around and faked a smile at the oracle standing tall. "Why, hello to you too, Lady Chika... If you'd excuse me, I was just on my way out the door..."

Vert's "sister" stomped up to the boy and wagged an overly dramatic finger in his face. "Don't give me that crap! I'm on to you, ya little brat! No matter what anyone else thinks, I remember that you threatened us! You're all kinds of fishy; I can smell it! I may be the beautiful oracle of Leanbox, but it's my duty to keep all of Gamindustri safe from assholes like you!"

"I... sense slight hostility, Lady Chika... If I was dangerous, wouldn't I have done something suspicious today, while all the world's leaders sat in a single room?"

The oracle continued wagging her finger. "I don't know what yer planning, but as soon as you slip up, I'll be the first one to wring yer ass out to dry." Kinky.

The false gentleman, unfazed, simply shrugged. "Do as you must. Now... please excuse me, but parties really aren't my thing. I'm leaving." He slowly, tauntingly, walked to the door. "Until tomorrow, fair Chika!" And with a strut, he was gone.

...

The lone aristocrat, who had chosen to give up his friends for a chance at the ultimate redemption, walked into the cold night, shrugging off the familiar feeling of loneliness...

_"Don't worry, sis... I'm so close... In just a few short weeks, all will be normal again..."_

_..._

_"I'll save you, Cerise..."_

* * *

**5. THE LEGEND OF CHIKA**

Leanbox's oracle was left standing in annoyance as she watched Jade leave the S.R.A.T.S. headquarters. "The nerve of that jerk! Ugh, even imagining what thoughts he's had of my darling Vert... Ew, I'm getting chills!"

Ah, Chika Hakozaki: Green Heart's self-proclaimed(?) sister, and biggest fangirl to boot (she even has a plaque to prove it)! As long as Vert was happy, she was happy...

However... this past year had been hell on Chika, much as it had been on everybody. Her dearest sister had been getting more and more... depressed? Hard to tell with Vert, really. At the very least, though, she lacked the energy she once had. The two would still give each other massages, but... it wasn't the same.

Even at this party, surrounded by friends, Vert still looked miserable... Well, if anyone spoke to her, she'd immediately smile at them, but a true sister would notice the subtlety of her demeanor!

Concerned as ever, the sassy oracle found the object of her affections sitting quietly at the long center table... Huh, where'd IF go? Maybe the bathroom, or something...

"Vert! How are you feeling?" Chika yelled a bit too loud, rushing over to clutch the goddess' hand.

Green Heart looked up at her close companion. "I am fine, Chika... Just a little headache is all. Please don't concern yourself with me."

"But I have to! I worry about you, Verty..."

Vert smiled, and gently clasped the oracle's hand. "I appreciate everything you do for me, Chika; thank you. But there is really nothing to worry about." Yeah, that's convincing...

"Well, okay then... B-But you better tell me if anything is bothering you!"

"Ha, I will..." Just then, another massive pain must've struck the CPU, for she clutched her forehead most intensely.

"V-Vert!"

"Ah... I-I'm fine, just a migraine..." Green Heart closed her eyes for a few moments, then opened them to look up at her sister. "Chika... Promise me you'll never leave my side. I... need you."

It was an unusual request... but one that instantly warmed the oracle's heart. "O-Of course! I-I'm yours forever, Verty! I'll love you always!"

The goddess giggled. "I love you too, Chika. Now, go and have fun! I'll be fine by myself for now."

Chika glomped her sister from behind. "Okay Vert... I'll be checking up on you, though!"

"I'm counting on it."

...

For once in a long while, the oracle felt somewhat at peace... though she wasn't sure why. Vert was obviously hiding her troubles from her, but... something just felt genuine for once.

It's a sister thing. I certainly don't understand; closest I've ever had to a sister was Mag... ah, nevermind...

All that matters is that, no matter what happens, Chika would follow Lady Vert to the bottom of hell if the need ever arrived...

Is devotion such as that really healthy?

_"Vert! Ooh, shall I give you one of my award-winning rub-downs?"_

_"Not right now, Chika. Maybe after our business is done."_

_"Awwwww... C'mon! I haven't touched you in weeks!"_

* * *

**6. THE LEGENDS OF HISTOIRE... AND MINA**

"It's good to see Chika can still make Vert smile, don't you agree?" Histoire asked, her small head turning to look at her dear friend.

Mina simply nodded, her mind completely elsewhere.

The two oracles were sitting at... well, a bar in the corner of the S.R.A.T.S. headquarters. Unfortunately for the scholarly woman, however, this bar served no alcohol; only fruity juice drinks.

"Blanc is missing again..."

The tome fairy lightly frowned. "This again? Mina, you have to let it go."

"..."

Is time on anybody's side these days? You already know this, but I suppose it needs reiterating anyways: as the months flew by, Mina only grew more bitter and exhausted with everything. I really doubt she's that old, but she was going through her own type of mid-life crisis, and wasn't even trying to fight back.

And, right now, it was all because of one couple that was manufactured to confuse.

"You know what's really insulting, Histoire? Those two haven't said a thing! They sneak out every chance they get to see each other, and Blanc always gives me a flimsy excuse when I catch her. It's like she doesn't trust me enough to tell me..."

The fairy nodded a bit, and took a very small sip of the too-fruity juice. "I know how you feel, but we must respect their privacy. Those two have always kept to themselves, and love is a very delicate thing; they're simply not ready to let anybody know. And besides," she said before taking another sip and almost coughing, "this whole situation probably isn't helping matters. As soon as Neptune and Noire made a monumental announcement about their relationship, a rebellion immediately followed. A CPU falling in love with anybody, especially an oracle of a different nation, will not be received well by the general public... They're nervous, and add their personalities to the mix... well, I understand their silence."

The scholar shook her head, watching Ram and Rom talk to each other in the background. "I still don't like it... Blanc doesn't need me anymore, I guess."

"That's not true! Of course she needs you! She just has a funny way of showing it."

"The children don't need me, either... They're growing up, at least emotionally. The whole family is doing better than I could have ever hoped... I'm outdated; a relic of the past."

Histoire grew alarmed. "Mina, don't say such things! Without you, what would become of Lowee? You do so much more than you realize!"

The tired scholar grew silent for a little while, shaking her glass of juice. "Why do you care, Histoire? You should be worrying about Planeptune matters; you have nothing to do with me."

The tome fairy frowned again. "Because you're my friend!" How many times this past year has this scene played out? "I care about your well-being, Mina! It pains me to see you this way..."

The woman bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. Perhaps Mina was more like Blanc than she realized; finding it difficult to reach out to others, always keeping to herself... They fit together rather well, in a funny kind of way. Only difference was how the two of them vented.

It was a vicious cycle of depression, though. As soon as the scholar felt herself cheering up, she'd immediately be pulled back under... When would it end?

...Not today, that's for sure... Maybe not even next week. Maybe it would never end...

All that's certain is that Histoire was not ready to give up on Mina yet. She was determined to remain by her side...

...For now, all we can do is wait and see what fate has in store for these two friends...

_"I'll always be here for you, Mina. You're the closest friend I have... I'll help you, one way or another!"_

_"...Thank you..."_

* * *

Speaking of that odd, manufactured couple...

**7. THE LEGENDS OF KEI AND BLANC**

"It's rather chilly for a Spring night, don't you think?" Kei asked, huddling her arms close for warmth. Ah, so it's Spring?

"Ah, I'm used to it... Here." Blanc replied, suddenly latching on to the professional oracle. "Now my cuddly fluffy body will keep ya warm." A sly grin.

Kei chuckled. "Well, you are indeed fluffy... So, where shall we go? I know we rarely meet on Lastation, but there are some rather quaint diners around here. Shall we visit one?"

"That sounds cool." Just that second, however, something caught Blanc's eye. "Hold on... Can we check out some books first?" How unexpected...

"Uh, sure." Well, that settles that!

The two entered the 'Sheds and Aristocratic' bookstore, and the foul-mouthed goddess quickly hovered to the 'New Arrivals' section. "Ah, here we go."

"Hm, what'd you find?"

Blanc grabbed the book and held it up. "It's a compilation of A. Christin's greatest adventures. She's gone missing for almost a year now, so the media is trying to capitalize by releasing weak attempts at First Editions; y'know, trying to create a massive collector's item. Pathetic, really..."

"...So, do you want to buy it?"

"...Yeah."

So, Blanc's a huge fan of this 'A. Christin,' huh? Wonder how she's doing now?

...

After the impromptu stop, the two lovers eventually made it to an Avenir-sponsored coffee-house... because Lastation residents love themselves some coffee? And wait... is it really safe to be walking the streets while anti-CPU sentiments are raging? Oh well...

"Hello, you two... Please, sit anywhere you like." A charming boy, around Jade's age, greeted. He was a very bland handsome male (of course), with very short dark-brown hair (almost black), and clad in a snazzy business suit... Isn't that a bit excessive for a waiter?

Oh, and his name tag says... hmm, Ganache? What kind of name is that?

Kei bowed. "Thank you." The two took their seats at a table in the corner, and the boy quickly waltzed over.

"So, what can I do for you lovely ladies?" he attempted to say in a charming manner.

Blanc looked at the menu. "Damn, no tangerines... or food at all..." Is that all she ever talks about? "Hm, iced coffee, I guess. Make it kick-ass, or there'll be hell to pay." Such a calm delivery, it's disturbing.

Kei nearly chuckled, but suppressed it. "I'll have the... Avenir-brand canned coffee? Sounds... unique..."

Ganache bowed. "I'll have your drinks right away." And there he goes.

Lady White Heart grew a peculiar smirk, and the oracle could only smile. "It's amazing, really," was all Kei said.

"Hm? What, the coffee-house that only sells coffee? Not even a sammich on the menu."

"Heh, no... Your smile."

This surprised Blanc. "W-Wha? S-Since when'd ya go sappy?"

Kei closed her eyes, wearing a sly smile. "Sappy, but true... You've looked so happy lately. Whenever you smile, I feel... safe; relieved even."

"K-Kei... Well, I am happy. Yer a cool chick."

"Heh... that too: you act almost like a completely different person now. Calmer, more outgoing... I like it."

The CPU's face was extremely red, but she maintained control. "Different, eh? Ah, I suppose I shoulda said 'Hell yeah, I've been happy! I've been hangin' out with a sexy-ass chick, with a great bod I must say, and I haven't had to deal with Thunder Tits or the rest of those bitches for most of the year!' How's that?"

Another charming chuckle. "Very good, very good." Ganache chose that moment to return with the two drinks; a quick bow, and he quickly walked off. Kei picked up her canned coffee, took a sip... and instinctively almost choked on the horrid taste. "Bleh... This establishment is certainly not up to par with Lowee's..."

Blanc, too, took a sip. "Eh, it's alright. Doesn't kick ass, though." A silent moment, and the goddess reached for her lover's hand. "Hey, Kei... thanks."

"No, thank YOU, Blanc... I love you."

"That never gets old... Love ya too, hun."

"...Hun?"

"Heheheh... Worth a shot."

The boyish oracle laughed some more. "If you say so... I could get used to that."

And thus, the two unlikely lovers, brought together by the interference of a certain dragon girl, reveled in their feelings for yet another night...

...

In the background, Ganache eyed the two girls eagerly. Pulling out his phone, he called someone on his speed-dial list. "Yo, Singe... Blanc's right in front of me. Is now the time to strike?"

"How the h... Isn't she at that gathering with the other CPUs? Ah, no bother... No, that comes later. This plan hinges on events playing out in a very specific order. Springing too early will disturb everything. Patience, boy; Jade will decide when the time is right."

"Aw, why do I have to wait for Jade? No fun..."

What a... curious conversation. Is this Ganache gonna show his face again?

...

_"Now, what to do with this crappy coffee? Hm, wanna switch?"_

_"Hell no! You have a sweet ass, but I don't want no poison from you."_

_"The likely response... You're lucky you have such a cute face, Blanc..."_

* * *

Hm... A. Christin, was it?

**8. THE LEGEND OF FALCOM**

"Why aren't we flyin' to the mainland again!?" A red humanoid yelled over the rushing of water, sitting on the wing of a bi-plane surfing through the ocean.

A figure behind the cockpit, a blue hedgehog, replied with annoyance. "'Cuz this plane's flyin' mechanism was struck in a dang tornado! I asked Tush for help, but he's still bitter over not being playable in the latest installments. Just be thankful the engine still works at all!"

Falcom, in the seat behind the 'pilot,' fought off the nagging sensation of sea-sickness. "U-Um, Snoic... How long until we reach shore, exactly?" An appropriate question for the fastest thing alive.

"Eh, a few hours if we could fly... Maybe a day or two by sea."

"Ah, okay..."

A bit of exposition: As you may remember, Falcom had shipwrecked on a deserted island many, many months ago. There, she ran across Red, who fed her cryptic information about a possible meeting with either Nepgeo or Nepgear(?). Right after, she had then been brought before the fallen icon Snoic, who was hiding from the CPUs in fear of facing even more humiliation. The stock adventuress, being an honorable soul, had agreed to stick around and help the hedgehog for a little while... especially since she had no clear way off the island otherwise.

Well, in that time, she had grown accustomed to the native lifestyle... though she admittedly had tons of prior experience, if her novels are anything to go by. However, as time went by, she had tried to convince the animals to attempt to reconnect with the real world.

_"You used to fight for the greater good, right? Well, you can't stay cooped up on this island forever! How about starting small, and talking to one CPU at a time? Maybe that way we can get them all to understand your needs better?"_

_The hedgehog rubbed beneath his black oval nose, as usual. "I dunno... Who would be a good starting point?"_

_Falcom thought of the best CPU to begin with... Neptune would be too crazy for sure; Vert's use of Snoic's name had brought him down in the first place; and Noire simply was the only CPU who never offered a console-exclusive title._

_So, her mind immediately drifted to her biggest fan, Blanc. She would certainly accept Falcom and the "blue dude with the 'tude" with open arms. Voicing this opinion, the humanoid nodded his head._

_"White Heart, eh? Maybe, just maybe... Okay, sounds great! However, it's a long ways away from Lowee... Gonna be a long trek. Maybe Tush will finally repair my plane..."_

Well, Tush hadn't repaired the plane, but that didn't stop them! Snoic, Tuckles, and Falcom left the island for the distant Lowee, using the bi-plane as a makeshift boat. Eh, a bit slower, but if it works, it works.

...Wait, how are they getting to Lowee? Won't they crash into Leanbox or, best-case scenario, the mainland of Lastation? *sigh* Those humanoids aren't very smart... Hopefully their improv skills are remarkable.

A long travel lay ahead of them... Perfect for the adventuress to further organize her thoughts about the whole "Nepgeo/Nepgear" problem.

Nepgear: A gentle and kind friend whom she had secretly fallen for in their fight against ASIC, though it would have been obscene for a stock adventuress to profess her feelings to the main heroine. Still, maybe taking the risk would be worth it?

Nepgeo: A chaotic lass who had flipped Falcom's world upside-down with a single kiss. Her name was now all that she knew of the imposter, but her mind would never be at ease until she met her once more.

Two look-alikes, two drastically different personalities... Would the red-haired girl make the right choice, whatever that was? Or... would she even need to make a choice? What if fate already had it all figured out?

Only time will tell.

"...Did any of you bring anything to read?" Falcom hesitantly asked, realizing she was bored out of her mind.

Tuckles opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. Snoic simply remained silent, now putting his full concentration into not piloting the makeshift boat.

"..." It was going to be a long trip...

So spells Falcom's destiny for a little while... I have a feeling this is the last we'll be seeing of her until the actual sequel. Hopefully she'll be in a better position (in every regard) by then...

_"So, what does a stock adventuress do, anyways? I myself go through speedy action stages, though in recent years, it's felt like I've been on-rails... No one wants to play a game like that!"_

_"Um, well... I'm just a stock adventuress. It's... kinda hard to explain out-of-nowhere..."_

_"Ah, I see... Hopefully your adventures are better received than Tuckles' treasure-hunting gameplay."_

_"Hey! A lot of people liked 'Death Bedroom' and 'Asteroid Assemblage!' I guess 'Mad Aperture' is universally hated, but that wasn't me; that was that dang batgirl."_

_"...Um, I don't understand any of these references..."_

* * *

Nepgear and Nepgeo... What a choice, huh? But, in another world, wasn't there another... Nepgear?

**9. THE LEGEND OF CONQUEST**

"Histoire! Histoire!"

The tome fairy quickly snapped back to reality, turning to face the calling IF. "Yes? What is the matter, IF?"

The brunette stopped for a moment to catch her breath. "I-It's Gear! S-She's gone! We can't find her anywhere!"

Compa immediately followed her into the Basilicom. "Ge-Ge's not in her room, or in the forest, or in the potty..." The medic was close to tears.

Histy was clearly puzzled, and she brought her hand to her chin accordingly. "Oh my, this is quite unlike her. She's not having another of her 'episodes' again, is she?"

The battle-hardened veteran shook her head, disgruntled. "Who knows with her..." She was about to say something else, but an unusual sight caught her eye. "Hey, Histoire... Er, has that door always been open?" she asked, pointing towards the door to the Basilicom's basement.

The fairy cocked her small head to the side. "Why, no, it hasn't; I explicitly said to never go down there!"

"Well, it wasn't us!"

The party of three exchanged nervous glances, and slowly approached the dark stairwell. "You don't think..." Histoire began, but zipped her mouth. With a new sense of urgency, she quickly hovered on down the stairs, IF and Compa right behind her.

"D-Don't run down the stairs so fast... It's dangerous!" Thanks, Compa.

In the basement, they saw the horrid shrine that held the cursed blade that claimed the blood of many... Well, it was supposed to hold the blade, at least.

"Gehaburn... It's gone!" Histy cried, looking around with immense worry. "Oh no! What is Nepgear planni-" This time, something caught her small eye. "...A note?"

Iffy walked over and picked up the small piece of paper that sat where the Demon Sword should have been. "Hm, what the hell?" Her eyes trailed the handwritten words, and her brows furrowed. "Yo, Histoire... you should have a look at this."

"..."

All three girls read the note, their worry growing to unprecedented levels. "W-What's this mean? Where's Ge-Ge!?"

"I... don't know... I'm at a loss..."

Nepgear, the only CPU that this alternate Gamindustri had left... was gone; vanished without a trace. The only possession she brought with her was Gehaburn, the cursed sword of legend.

"...This is very bad, isn't it?"

...

_"Dear Histoire, IF, and Compa:_

_If you're reading this, then I have already left. I don't know how long I'll be gone, or really where I'm going at all, but I'll be fine; Neptune is guiding me._

_I'm not sure how long it'll take, but I have a job to do. I'm not returning until I fulfill my duty..._

_I'm not returning until I save my sister and all our friends."_

* * *

What the hell was... that?

...Oh well, back to the party, I guess.

That Nepgear was clearly yet another soul wrought with self-pity and despair... Where else to go from here other than one more sad individual?

**10. THE LEGEND OF CAVE**

"Cavey, can I rest on your shoulder? I'm *yawn* tired..." Chika cooed, not waiting for a response and immediately planting her head on her friend's shoulder.

Cave simply sighed. "Did you eat too much again? You should show more restraint."

"Nope, just tired~" She nuzzled her head like a child. "Yer comfy, Cavey~"

"I am not a pillow meant to bolster you." Still, she allowed her friend to act like an idiot some more; it was a weird friendship.

...

The oracle quickly began to snore, however, which was clearly the warrior's limit. Anger veins threatening to appear, she gently rose from her seat and made sure Chika didn't fall. Then, with a sigh, she looked up at the ceiling. "Stay safe tomorrow, Chika."

For the record, Cave wasn't afraid of facing danger in the coming battle; far from it. Hell, she would never gloat, but if push came to shove, she could take on the rebels single-handedly. So, no, she was confident she'd fair just fine...

Despite this, though, Cave couldn't help but worry about everyone else, especially her dear friends. Chika, along with the other oracles, would be out on the potential battlefield. Just thinking of what could go wrong made the hardened warrior shiver.

But more than the oracles... she worried about the majestic blue-haired girl who still encapsulated her heart.

"I must protect her, no matter what." That phrase constantly rang in her head. Even if the very world came crumbling down, she'd sacrifice everything to keep Lyrica safe.

...

Without realizing it, the stern woman had begun staring longingly at the pop idol, eventually grabbing her attention. "Oh, hi Cave! Having fun?"

The SMD warrior was caught off-guard. "H-Hello, Lyrica... I've been dealing with more of Chika's antics; business as usual."

"Hehe, I see."

An awkward silence followed, if you hadn't seen that coming. However, it didn't last long...

"...L-Lyree!"

"Hm?"

"I... I wish to speak with you about... something important." The stylish woman began to lightly blush, an intense feeling overtaking her actions.

5pb. smiled. "Of course, anything. What's on your mind?"

Cave took a deep breath... and prepared to speak. So long had she held these feelings for her innocent friend, and right now, something told her that now would be the best time to just let them all free. "Lyrica... I... I..." Tongue-tied; most unusual.

"Hey Cave. Whatcha guys talkin' about?" Ah, yep, here comes IF again. Fate is particularly cruel, don't you agree?

The warrior's courage immediately leapt out the window; foiled again. Maybe her love for the pop idol was just never meant to be...

"I... I wanted to wish you well tomorrow... B-Both of you!" She averted her gaze to hide her disappointment in herself. "I vow with my life to keep you safe from harm."

Lyrica was confused for a second, but quickly went back to smiling. "Thank you, Cave. You're a true friend."

The stylish warrior bowed professionally, and quickly dashed off. Now, no one noticed (how could they?), but poor little Cave looked just like a disappointed child for but a moment... In a flash, she was back to her stern and stoic self.

Cave was clearly not destined to find love and happiness, was she? So, what else could she do but devote her very life to protecting the girl she could never have?

...

Some legends just aren't worth telling... Is hers?

_"I am Cave, warrior of the Leanbox Special Mission Department. I entrust my life, my very being, to you. I will guard you through the battle that lies ahead."_

_"U-Um, n-no need to go that far, Cave! IF was just talking about getting some ice cream... Wanna come?"_

_"...Sure."_

* * *

**11. THE LEGENDS OF IF AND LYRICA**

"Well... Cave's certainly acting odd. You don't think she's actually nervous, do ya?" The battle-hardened veteran asked with a slight chuckle.

Lyrica shook her head. "Cave, nervous? That's funny."

"Heh, sure is... Though, it wouldn't be misplaced; a whole rebellion, with a leader who can apparently transform? Could be dangerous..." IF shot her lover a certain look.

"...Oh no Iffy, don't tell me you're gonna try to talk me into staying behind?! We don't need that cliché; I'm fighting with everybody else!"

"Take it easy, take it easy, I wasn't gonna say that at all." A soft hug. "We work better as a team, don't we? I can't keep you out of the action."

"That's good." 5pb. smiled, and she pulled the brunette in for a kiss.

"Woah, family show! Save it for the hotel scene, you!" That voice... Neptune! "...Nah, just kiddin'; this story is still M-rated I think, so it's cool."

IF sighed. "Hey Nep. Still crazy as usual I see... What're you up to?"

The ditz rocked back and forth; if I didn't know that was her thing, I would swear that was a nervous tic or something. "Oh, just waitin' on Noiwey and stuffs, thought I'd swing by... So, you pumped for tomorrow or what!? I'm ready to kick ass and eat pudding, and something-something all out of pudding!"

"Boy, Nep, that reference must've taken forever to come up with..." Oh, you think you're so clever, don't you? "But yeah, we'll save Compa and get an S rank while we're at it!"

"Heck yeah! That's mah Iffy!" Neptune rejoiced, as evidenced by her springing up and down. She stopped after a few iterations to spread some news, however. "Oh, did you know: I just got my own personal bodyguards! Heck, same for Noiwey too! Look, one's over there!"

IF and Lyrica exchanged a quick glance. "Bodyguards?" Indeed, a few feet away stood a well-built man in martial arts attire. He noticed the two girls' gaze, and struck a dramatic pose.

"Game, Shiro!" Oh boy.

The ditz was positively ecstatic. "Isn't he coolio? I don't really know why we need bodyguards for this battle, but I want him to tag along just so I can see some of his special moves!"

The pop idol sweat-dropped. "I-I admit, I'm kind of curious too."

Noire returned to the room just then, and Neptune wasted no time. "Ah, there mah babe is! See ya, dudettes!"

"See ya, Nep!" IF waved, then smirked as she shook her head. "Always a screwball, even now."

"Teehee... You two are such cute friends~"

"W-What? C-Cute? Nononononono! We are not cute!" IF, your 'tsundere' is showing.

5pb. hugged her girlfriend close. "You are very cute, Iffy... Don't leave me out, though; I wanna help you get Compa back too! In no time, you three will be back to causing trouble!"

"Trouble? Heh, fine... Everything Nep's involved with leads to trouble. Guess it's my duty to keep her in check." The two laughed, happy in every sense of the word. By this time tomorrow, Compa would be safe and sound, and peace would be restored.

Neptune, IF, and Compa: three souls bound together by a bond thicker than blood.

IF and Lyrica: two lovers who've already went through hell and back... and have yet another major trial looming on the horizon.

Were these bonds everlasting? Could the battle-hardened veteran keep everyone she held dear safe?

In a day's time... the question would finally be closer to an answer...

...

A few kisses later, a sudden thought sprang to IF's mind; have I said this already? Like, a lot?

"Y'know, Lady Vert's been awfully quiet tonight. Let's check up on her."

"Yeah, make sure she's okay."

And that, they did...

...Hey, wait...!?

_"So, after the battle, I was thinking of holding a Classic Rock concert... What do you think?"_

_"Classic Rock? Hm, sure, I guess... Do you even play Classic Rock, though?"_

_"Why not? It's not like the visual novel scenes ever show me playing music anyways."_

_"Heh, true..."_

* * *

**12. THE LEGEND OF VERT**

Lady Green Heart, having just watched most of those scenes, let out a sigh. "My, everyone is so full of life... Why can't I join them?"

IF, still sitting across from her, smiled knowingly. "Because you're troubled, Lady Vert. There's something that's eating you up inside, and you don't know what to do. You want so much to have fun... but you're holding yourself back! Those headaches you've been having will only get worse if you don't face your troubles head-on! So please, my lady; please talk to me!"

Vert looked at the brunette's beautiful face, and knew that now was the time. "Okay, Miss IF... But you must promise that, no matter what, this will not affect our friendship!"

"Heh, no worries! Anything you say right now can't possibly have that type of effect!"

"Alright then... I-IF, I am madly in love with you... I know we've had this conversation in the past, but..." the CPU ashamedly cast her eyes down, "I simply can not move on. My feelings for you only grow stronger with each passing day, and it's driving me mad! I... I'm so lost right now, and there's no one I can really talk to. Chika wouldn't understand, and I certainly can't mention it to Cave or Lyrica... T-Though, now that you know all this, I guess there'd be no point in telling any of them..."

The battle-hardened veteran nodded for a bit, apparently in deep thought. The longer she took, the more worried the goddess became. Fortunately, a reply soon came. "Lady Vert, do you feel better now? At all?"

"H-Huh? U-Um... well, actually, yes... I-I feel a bit more relieved. I've bottled that up for so long..."

IF grinned, and stood from her seat. "That's progress, Vert! I'm proud of you."

The CPU felt a very peculiar sensation in the pit of her stomach, which she tried to tune out. "T-Thanks you, Miss IF... Er, I-I don't mean to be brash or anything, but... how do you feel about my confession?"

The battle-hardened veteran shook her head. "It doesn't matter how I feel; what matters is how YOU feel."

That peculiar response caused Vert to think... and she finally made note of the glaring anachronism. "...Miss IF, while we were watching everybody... I saw you and Lyrica together."

"Yeah, and?"

"...You were sitting right here with me, weren't you?"

Another head-shake. "You're focusing too much on the useless little details, Vert; you should instead be looking at the big picture! Nitpicking will only lead you to more despair."

"I... guess." Yeah, I'm just as confused as she is... However, that didn't keep her down! Her confession to the girl she loved made the elegant goddess feel better than she had in the longest time. No more sulking around; it was time to take action. "...IF, thank you for everything. I'm... ready to join the party now! I'm ready to have the time of my life!" She rose from her seat and called out to her 'sister.' "Chika, I'm feeling better now! Chika!... Chika?" No response... from anybody.

The battle-hardened veteran smiled rather uncharacteristically. "...I'm sorry, Vert."

"Sorry? About...?" And before her very eyes, a few more fragmented scenes played out.

_"Lady Vert... Are you alright? Lady Vert?... *sigh* No good, she's sleepin'. Guess we better let her rest." IF said, sounding slightly disappointed._

_Lyrica wrapped her arm around her lover. "She'll need her strength for tomorrow... It's kinda sad that she's sleeping through the party, though. When's the next time everyone'll be together like this?"_

_"Well, I'm sure we'll have an after-battle party... I can almost guarantee it, in fact!"_

_"Oh yeah, I forgot about that! Ooh, that sounds like fun!" And the two walked off..._

Iffy stared deeply into the CPU's eyes, almost as if she was judging her soul. "You've been here a long time, Vert; All night, your headaches have left you dazed and confused. The party ended hours ago... "

_"Vert fell asleep?" Chika asked, surprised. The party had cleared out by now. "That's kinda depressing... Ah, I took a nap too, so I can't really fault her!"_

_Cave shook her head. "So, what should we do? Just leave her out here? I'm going to bed soon, so we better make a choice quick."_

_The oracle proudly pat her chest. "I shall wait for her down here! When she awakes, I will carry her up to our room!"_

_"Okay... I wish you luck."_

"I was never sitting with you... You admitted your feelings to yourself, not me. Progress for YOU... but it accomplished nothing in the terms of actually sorting out your problems."

_Chika had waited in the empty S.R.A.T.S. party room for hours before Vert finally stirred awake. Just in time, too, for a very hungover Chip took that moment to announce: "Okay... I'm shuttin' off the lights for the night! Anyone stuck down here in the dark, you brought this on yourself... Ow, oww..."_

_The lights were indeed violently shut off, leaving the oracle and the goddess in the complete blackness. She pulled on Vert's sleeve, but the elegant woman refused to move._

_Although Chika would walk Gamindustri ten times over for the CPU, she was getting very tired and impatient. She needed her beauty sleep, and this was only slowing her down._

_"Verty, you're just gonna sit there?"_

_Lady Green Heart, completely exhausted, looked up at her 'sister.' "Hm? Why, yes, I am perfectly content right here... I am much too worn out to take part in the festivities; do forgive me, dearest Chika." She smiled as brightly as she could muster, waving her hand up and down dismissively._

_The oracle's eyebrow raised quite profoundly, but she simply nodded. "...Okay then..." With that, she left the room._

_Chika went up to her room alone, the familiar feeling of dread and worry returning._

Vert's eyes were wide, and she stared at IF pleadingly. "I-Iffy... What's happening?"

"..."

"Promise me... Promise you'll stay with me, IF!"

"Sorry Vert, but..." One last smile, "I've never been with you." In the blink of an eye, the 'battle-hardened veteran' was gone.

...

Lady Green Heart was alone, finally ready for a party that she had both sulked and slept through.

With nothing left in her, Vert dropped her head to the table and began to cry.

* * *

**THE WANDERING WOLF**

'Twas the morning of the confrontation... The fateful day had finally arrived!

Everyone once more gathered in the S.R.A.T.S. party room, though this time to gear up for the likely battle that awaited them.

With everyone ready to go, Chip (in his brilliantly-red shirt) took center stage one final time. "Alright ladies... and, er, a few men... let's not waste anymore time and get out there! The vessels are waiting out back; us fighters will board the Zenobia, whilst the candidates will head to Lowee in the Arcadia! Understood?" Everyone replied in the positive, though Uni and Ram grumbled.

"Let's kick some ass!" Blanc cheered, secretly glancing around for Kei. As if on cue, the professional oracle came sprinting into the room... looking surprisingly... surprised.

"U-Urgent news: Jade claims something has come up on his end, so he'll be staying in Avenir..." Don't misinterpret that.

Chika rolled her eyes. "What a wimp... So, what? One less soldier on our side?"

Kei shook her head. "Not exactly... We apparently have a surprise guest who wishes to aid us. He's... right by the ships."

Noire cocked her head to the side. "Surprise guest? That doesn't sound too good..."

The large group took one final tally, then proceeded to leave the S.R.A.T.S. headquarters. Upon stepping outside, a most unexpected sight greeted them.

The boyish oracle stood tall. "The odds are certainly in our favor now..."

The ditz's mouth went agape. "Holy capoley! Is he on our side? Ooh, can I ride him!?" Er, don't misinterpret that.

The tsundere held her hand to her hip. "This is... unexpected indeed." Damn it, who is it?

The foul-mouthed goddess grit her teeth. "What the hell does this mean?" I can't see who it is!"

The elegant CPU rubbed her forehead. "Oh my... He's alive?"

The pop idol stared wide-eyed. "C-Can we trust him?"

The battle-hardened veteran flipped open her phone. "About time you showed up again."

The SMD warrior raised an eyebrow. "..."

The S.R.A.T.S. commander folded his arms. "Meh, I could take him."

The tome fairy brought her hand to her chin. "Most interesting... I certainly never foresaw this."

The sassy oracle wore an intimidated smirk. "K-Keep away from my darling Vert, beast!"

The scholarly mother figure wiped her glasses. "Children, back away..."

The timid child hid her face with her hands. "Scary... Does this mean... that monster's still alive?"

The energetic loli placed herself in front of her sister. "D-Don't worry, Rom! This one isn't as creepy as that smelly pedo... right?"

The purple-haired candidate covered her mouth in awe. "G-Goodness... I never realized how much I could learn from taking him apart..."

But, perhaps it was the young tsundere who was the most surprised of all. She took a step forward.

"Brave... is that really you?"

!?

The surprise guest, CFW Brave, made a motion that might have resembled a nod. "Greetings Uni... fair heroines... I can hide in the shadows no longer. I wish to aid you in your struggle." Black Sister was about to ask an obvious question, but she was swiftly silenced. "There will be a time and place for questions later... Goddesses, prepare to show the world your resolve, or you shall face defeat in this coming battle. Are you ready?"

The four CPUs looked each other in the eye and nodded, strong and resolute. The time was now!

"Now... we move!"

* * *

Well, everything seems to be wrapping up... nicely, don't you think? However... there's still one thing left to do; surely you've figured it out?

...

We still have some unfinished business with the group of girls that started this whole 'expansion pack(?)' off in the first place...


	13. Farewell To- Much Ado About Nothing

_There sat a tree on Leanbox that provided fine shade for tired venturers. When the sun blazed on the mortals below, this tree offered a safe haven for those with no roof over their heads. Today, however, no mere citizen slept under this tree. No, this sleeping figure was no stranger to the heroines of this tale..._

_Linda, aptly coined Underling by our protagonists, was among the last remaining remnants of ASIC, the Arfoire Syndicate of International Crime. The radical organization had been reduced to ashes after the Almighty Deity of Sin had been destroyed by our maidens. However, Underling continued to uphold their legacy, though probably only because she was too lazy to acquire any other skills._

_Anyways, she would soon be awoken by a voice from her past. A voice that she would never forget. Perhaps, even, a voice she never wanted to forget..._

_... However, this takes place right before said voice would arrive._

_... WHAT!?_

_"Oh, my precious, beautiful Linda... How peaceful you look when you sleep~" Cooed a young woman who was petting the head of the sleeping ASIC member._

_... Ugh... It's that mysterious brown-haired young woman again. Why do these scenes keep creeping into the beginnings of these chapters? Here we are at the grand(as if) finale(again, as if), and she's still making confusing appearances..._

_... Wait, do you know more about her than I do?_

_... Whatever the case may be, 'Cerise' continued to disturbingly run her hands through the sleeping Linda's hair. What the...?_

_"... Sleep well, dearly beloved... Once that fool of a Deity has had her fun, I'll finally be able to step in... At long last, I can show you my true face... and we can be together forever~!"_

_This... is getting really disturbing... She sounds... unhinged..._

_The brown-haired young woman lightly kissed Underling's cheek, and stood back up. "I'd better be off; She'll be here soon, taking the visage of a horrible woman you think you love... It pains me to say, but she and I share that similar ability: Taking the forms of the 'departed'... But that's the only affinity we have in common..." She gazed dreamily down at the slumbering ASIC member, and smiled. "...In due time, you will finally be mine, Linda... We can finally enjoy our love in peace... All that's left to do is to tie up that disgusting loose end... She may have restored me to this world, but I owe her nothing; I shall remove her just as swiftly as she raised me back from nothingness..."_

_... This girl... Just what the hell is she talking about!? Oh dear... She's a complete nutcase!_

_... Um... And why does she care so much about Linda? I doubt Underling even knows who this woman is..._

_Again... do you know the answer? What did I miss?_

_... Before the crazed woman left the area, she turned to take one more look at the ASIC member. "I love you, Linda... and I'll be back to see you soon... I will finally claim your lips for my own... Oh, teehee, I'd better activate your dream sequence, huh? That will get the readers riled up..." And... now she's gone; vanished as if she was never there in the first place..._

_... Was she ever there? Am I going crazy?... Oh, who gives a shit at this point?_

* * *

_What's this now?_

...

_"Look baby... Isn't it beautiful?"_

_A woman with short light-purple hair, no older than 23 years of age, watched the sunset with a small child by her side._

_"Wow... The sky's on fire, mommy!" The young girl also had purple hair, though much longer than her mother's. She couldn't have been more than five years old._

_"Hehe... That's not fire, baby... That's heaven."_

_"Heaven?"_

_The mother, tired wrinkles already beginning to distort her youthful face, smiled down at her innocent daughter. "Yes, baby... Heaven. See how the sun is making the clouds shine?"_

_"Yeah, I see 'em!"_

_"That's it. That's heaven, baby... All good girls go there one day."_

_The child looked up at the woman with wide and expectant eyes. "Am I a good girl, mommy?" The mother could only giggle._

_"Of course you are, baby... You're the best daughter a mom could ever ask for..." The mother, whose young face looked as weathered as a middle-aged woman's, held the child close, and smiled up at the brilliantly orange sky. "...I just know you're going to find happiness... And then, when the time comes, you'll be in heaven with everyone you love... You'll be with your loved ones forever, in Paradise."_

_The little girl hugged her mom tight. "Will you go to heaven too, mommy?"_

_The short-haired woman pat the girl's head softly, and hesitated for a moment. Her thoughts seemed to stray to dark memories; to all her past mistakes. After the things she'd seen, the things she'd done... she could never be considered a 'good girl'..._

_"... Yes, baby... When the day does arrive, I will be waiting for you there... We will be together for all eternity..."_

_It is such a painful feeling, lying to your child. Heaven was out of reach for this mother, you see. It wasn't too late for her daughter, though... was it?_

_The young child, too naïve to notice her mother's pain, nodded contentedly. Within a few minutes, she had fallen fast asleep._

_"... My lovely Nepgeo... I wish I could do so much more..."_

...

* * *

**FAREWELL TO... FRIENDS  
**

**(LASTATION- THE EVE OF THE WAR)**

"Lindy... I don't want you to go."

Nepgeo and Underling were standing on the balcony to their current hotel room, watching the glorious sunset.

"I'm sorry, Geo, but I have to do this... But hey, this isn't goodbye! Don't get all mopey like that."

The imposter shook her head. "No, you don't have to do this! I don't like it... Something doesn't feel right."

The villain smirked, and held the girl close. "What's gotten into ya? You're usually so bubbly and crazy and shit... I'm just gonna be gone for one day! I'll be back before ya know it."

What... exactly is going on? This scene obviously takes place at the same time as the party at S.R.A.T.S... What, is today just monumentally important, or something?

Perhaps we've started too late; let's rewind a bit, shall we? Maybe that will shed a little light on what the hell is going on...

But... hmm, how far back does this script want us to go? Guess before we establish this present scene, we gotta answer the most pressing question of all: er, what else happened on the morning after the incident at the game expo?

... What? That's still a freakin' question!? C'mon, it's been a year already! Can't we just get BEYOND Much Ado About Nothing!?

*sigh* Well, if it gets us to the ending sooner, we might as well suck it up... Not like I can go anywhere else, anyways...

So let's go back in time; before the 'winter tales,' and the 'blitz tactics,' and even the dynamic duo's date...

We're going back to the day after Much Ado About Nothing... We're going back to Chapter One...

* * *

**THE ALCHEMIST AND THE HEROINE**

We return to the familiar scene from so long ago: Nisa and Gust, sharing both a bed and confused, mangled emotions.

For those that don't remember the very first chapter, the heroine and the alchemist had awoken to find themselves in a most... compromising position. One thing led to another, and, well... they had agreed to 'replicate' the 'mistake'... Oh, who am I kidding; we're all adults, right? The two had screwed each other while under the influence of alcohol, and then they screwed the next morning... while fully sober. Now, the big question remains: is Gust of legal age?

... Wait, no, that's not it... frighteningly... T-The big question remains: what does this mean for their friendship?

Maybe we'll find out right now... or, maybe we'll never find out...

...

Anyways, the two lay side-by-side, finally recovering from their most recent, er, tryst? The video that had made them quite amorous continued to play, the two lovers on the screen apparently ready to... f-finish.

Nisa was the first to speak, though she now felt an overwhelming sensation of shame. "... S-So, um... W-What do you want to do today, my f-faithful ssssssidekick?"

The alchemist had her face pressed into her pillow. "Die. Wouldn't mind dying." Shame is a group venture.

The heroine blushed some more, but rolled over to face her friend. "Gusty... W-We didn't go too far, did we? You don't... hate me, do you?"

The small girl didn't move. "... Not Nisa's fault. Gust... wanted this."

"... So did I..."

The two were silent again, most likely re-evaluating their relationship. They had both clearly wanted... no, NEEDED this, so then why did it feel so... wrong? Confusing?

Whatever the case may be, the silence was broken by the... sounds from the TV. Um, it'd be way too embarrassing to say those sounds out-loud... M-Maybe I should just listen and tell you the, er, proper nouns I hear? The script says that this is very important...

Yep, yep... right now, just gasps and u-unsanitary language... This is awkward...

...

Oh, thank heavens, Nisa is gonna speak up!

"G-Gusty... W-What exactly is this vvvvvideo? H-How'd you find it?"

The alchemist lifted her head from the fluffy pillow and gazed embarrassingly+ at the screen. "G-Gust was channel-surfing for something to watch, and found free... naughty channels. Gave me inspiration..." Well, at least she's honest.

"I-I see... W-What is the name of this video, then? N-N-Not that I really care, but..." Nisa, you're not a tsundere. Don't confuse the audience!

"Hmm... 'Love Hotel Voye...age?' maybe? Don't remember." I think that title's wrong... b-but I'm no expert or anything!

The heroine bashfully nodded, entranced by the two girls on the screen. They had been going at it for hours now! One woman with spiky chest-length hair appeared to be using... a familiar censored object on another woman with billowing long hair. Huh...

"Oh my... This is way too lewd..." Nisa mumbled, shielding both her's and Gust's innocent eyes.

"H-Hey! Uncover Gust's eyes at once!"

The girls on the screen approached the grand finale, and... I'm not gonna say it was marvelous! N-Not at all!

They slowly steadied their breathing as they held each other close. Finally, they spoke actual words!

_"That was amazing... I love you, Lindy."_

_"Heh... heh... Got revenge on ya!... That was fun."_ U-Uh oh...

While Gust didn't catch it right away, Nisa sure did. "L-Lindy?... U-Underling!?"

The alchemist eyed her friend strangely. "What about Underling?" She then looked closely at the two girls on the screen... She noticed the oddly colored skin and the spiked hair, which was green if she looked close enough... "Oh no..."

The two friends exchanged worried glances and screamed.

* * *

At long last, Underling returned to her room with a sandwich. "Hey, I'm back... Man, it took FOREVER to find this."

Nepgeo, quite nude, rested on her stomach while facing the foot of the bed, flicking through television channels. "Yo, Lindy, this place has some awesome videos! Look: 'Shizuma-sama's All-Girl Panic!', 'Kagami's Otaku Awakening', 'Kumakura Mariko: Friendship, or...', and 'Love Hotel Voyeur Room #13!' I'm in heaven!" Did you understand all that?

The villain sighed and placed the sandwich down on the bed. "That last one sounded kinda different from the rest... W-Wait, why are you even looking at those?"

The imposter flashed a playful grin. "Just scoutin' for something naughty to watch tonight~"

"... Why'd I even ask?" she sighed before hopping down next to her new lover. "Well, I better have a say in what type of perverted thing we watch... Let's see here." And the two became caught up in flicking through those... ahum, 'interesting' channels... for the moment.

A knock on the door snapped them out of their trance.

Linda immediately leapt up and pressed her back against the wall to the right of the door. "Hm? Yeah, who the hell is it?"

"Underling... Is that you? So this is the right room..."

"Flatty? How'd you...? Ah, whaddya want?" No answer after a few seconds, so the ASIC member rolled her eyes and opened the door to her room. "W-What the!?" She was immediately greeted with the sight of Nisa and Gust clad only in towels... I-I'm not staring!

In the background, the still-nude Nepgeo jumped onto her feet and dashed over to the visitors. "Hello~! Wow, Lindy, who are these cuties? Wait... you're Nisa, from that mind-screw yesterday! Howdy again!" Then, her eyes were drawn to the blushing alchemist, and she wiggled her fingers at her suggestively.

Underling sighed. "These are two of the brats who are always givin' me trouble... Um, so, why are you guys naked?"

The heroine's face was entirely red, and she thought of a way to properly deliver her qualms... Apparently, her best idea was to pull the villain close and whisper suddenly in her ear. "M-Me and little Gusty did... IT again..."

"W-W-W-Why are ya pullin' me so close!? A-And what the hell do I care about yer love life!? That's gross!"

But Nisa refused to back down. "That's not everything, Underlingy..."

Linda, blushing herself, could only shake her head. "Crap... W-Well, what else?"

In case you're curious, Nepgeo had begun introducing herself to the small girl during the confusion. "So, I'm Nepgeo! What's your name, cutie-pie?"

"Name is... Gust... Why are you staring so hard?"

"Teehee... because you're such a cutie, darling! Mmhmm, delectable lookin', too!"

"W-What does that mean? What do you want from Gust!?" Wacky shenanigans shall ensue, I bet.

Anyways, Nisa blurted out the first thing that came to mind: "Me and Gusty did naughty things... while watching a video of YOU, Underling!" The truth came out!

The ASIC member was clearly thrilled by this revelation, and wanted to kiss the heroine right then and there! "... WHAT!?" Haha, sorry, I lied; the tale, once fully sunk in, made her want to puke. "W-What video!?" She quickly turned to yell at Nepgeo. "D-Do you know anything about this!?"

The imposter, lovingly stroking Gust's hair, thought for a moment. "A video of you, Lindy? Kinky... I didn't know you were an actress... and in THAT industry..." The girl continued thinking, bringing her finger to her chin. "Hmm... No, that can't be it; wasn't I your first? Hehe... besides Magic, of course~"

"S-Shut up! I ain't never been on no video before!" What grammar was that? Guess the beta's not doing his job.

The heroine of justice glanced cautiously at her sidekick, who simply looked down at the floor. "Actually... it was a video of you two, t-together..." Underling and Nepgeo looked at each other, eyebrows effectively raised. "Little Gusty was channel-surfing, and found a movie entitled: 'Love Hotel Voyeur Room #4.' Um... it was one of THOSE types of films..."

This certainly caught the purple-haired imposter's attention. "Me and Lindy...? Oh damn, that IS our room number! There's a camera in our room!?" The flirtatious girl had a sudden thought, and quickly dashed back into her room and plopped right onto her bed... Er, isn't she going to look for the camera? Why's she flicking the remote...?

Linda went to question the same thing. "Geo, what are you-"

"Awesome!" she interrupted, her eyes literally stars. "Nisey and lil-cutie there, what's your room number?"

The heroine's eyes were confused dots. "R-Room number? T-Thirteen... why?"

"Heh heh... no reason~..." What's she planning...? She has her full attention on that television scr... Wait! Wasn't one of those movies called "Love Hotel Voyeur Room #13!?" Nisa and Gust watched "Room #4"... !?

It seems Gust came to the same conclusion as I just did. "Wait, so Gust and Nisa saw movie of Underling and Perv on TV... Put down remote!"

Too late; the imposter-Nepgear turned on the movie, cranked up the volume, and out from the speakers came these familiar words:

_"Ooh! Don't hog it all, dear sidekicky! Give me some, Gusty! Give it to me~"_

Nepgeo's tender mouth quickly twisted into an indiscernible smirk, and she eyed the embarrassed heroine with pride. Nisa and Gust, again, responded only with shamed red faces.

_"Please give it to me, Gusty~"_

Underling was too shocked to react, so she simply stared at the television screen from the door.

_"Oh, Gust will give it to you, all right..."_

_..._

Not only was this scene that followed explicit, but it showed the two "actresses" exactly what transpired the night before.

Nisa and Gust shared another troubled glance for a moment, and then began screaming again as they fled back to their room. Linda, also somewhat shaken to the core, ran off after them, not quite sure where she was headed.

And in the room, Nepgeo continued smiling. "Heh heh... I need ta record this! There should be a blank VHS tape lying around here somewhere; just gotta be!" She grabbed her sandwich, took a hefty bite, and began her search!

...

And that, dear readers, was the spark that brought the two heroines and the 'villainous duo' together...

**THE ALCHEMIST AND THE HEROINE: END...?**

* * *

...

Nepgeo would forever reflect on those days fondly... With Nisa, Gust, and Linda by her side, she had known happiness the likes of which she had never felt before. Now, the mere thought that everything was going to... CHANGE... well, that scared her more than anything. All the good times they've had... were those days long gone? Were they all destined to go their separate ways?

Would she be left alone... again?

As the sunset continued, Linda couldn't help but notice her girlfriend's dark demeanor. "Geo..."

"... Don't leave me, Lindy... I want to stay with you and Nisey and little Gusty f-forever... Please don't abandon me!"

It was the weakest the villain had ever seen the imposter... Well, second-weakest. Why was Nepgeo so horrified of Linda going away for a day or two? What bad could possibly happen in that short amount of time?

"This is important, Geo... I mean, it's not everyday ya get a letter outta nowhere from HIM..." Underling looked to the sinking sun, her brows furrowed with determination. "I promised her I'd do this... I need to save her, you know that!"

The fake Nepgear still disapproved. "Not like this! There's something fishy about all this, can't ya feel it? It's just... wrong."

"What's so fishy about it? He saved our lives before, so why shouldn't I trust him?"

"That's... That's not the point!" But the imposter really didn't know what the point was. Her head was a garbled mess of confused emotions right now. Linda couldn't leave... She just couldn't!

...Hm, but what is this letter they're talking about? And who sent it? A mystery indeed...

Well, let's find out, shall we?

* * *

**PARADISE...**

**(A few hours before sunset)**

"Shit, where the hell is he?"

Underling was frantically pacing back and forth in the hotel's lobby, clearly distressed. The attendant looked at her curiously, but said nothing. Yeah, thanks.

"C'mon, ya stinkin' rat... Don't do this..." Hm? Ah, I see...

Nisa chose that moment to make her, uh, grand entrance. "Ah, why, hello there Underlingy! What seems to be ailing you?"

The green-haired woman hastily attempted to hide her concern. "H-Huh? A-Ailing me? N-Nuthin' at all, nope! I'mma fine and dandy, you bet!"

The heroine... wasn't an idiot. "C'mon, Lindy, don't be like that! As a heroine of justice, it is my duty to help those in need, and that includes you too!" We've covered this already many, many times.

"... Crap... Fine, guess it wouldn't hurt..." Linda ran her hand across her face. "The rat's missing. I haven't seen him in days... He usually keeps to himself and stays hidden, but I feed him every morning anyways, and he hasn't been takin' his food at all... No clue where he coulda gone."

Nisa nodded at the perplexing tale. "I forgot Mr. Mouse was still part of our group." Is it her fault for not knowing, or the author's fault for not giving Pirachu more than a few brief mentions throughout this story? "Well, I shall help you find him! Though... we won't get very far with such little info to go by... But no worries!"

The villain couldn't help but smile. "Thanks Flatty..."

"Don't mention it, Lindy!"

So, the 'dynamic duo' vowed to scour around in the hopes of finding ASIC's... no, Gamindustri's self-proclaimed mascot.

... But the search, as you've probably guessed, was ill-fated from the start. As it stood, Pirachu was in no position to be found by his allies... as he was currently kidnapped... Or, er, rat-napped... Yeah, that's not a cliché joke in this day and age...

Fortune was on their side, though!... Kinda.

It was about half an hour later when Nepgeo got out of bed and heard a tapping on the glass door to the hotel room's balcony. "Hm? Lindy, that you? Ah, or maybe Gusty's sneaking in~?" The girl quickly put on her underwear (does this count as fanservice?) and tiptoed over. "Come on i... huh?"

On the other side of the door, the imposter was greeted to the sight of... well, nobody. Could it have just been the wind?

But no, it wasn't the wind... Tied to the balcony itself was a single sheet of paper, with a ton of words clearly written by a delicate hand. "What in the heck? Is this... a prank or sumthin'?" That second, a cold chill went down Nepgeo's spine; a horrible sensation, but she couldn't exactly piece together why.

Now anxious for some reason, she yanked the note out of its bindings and skimmed through the text. It was cryptically for Linda, which was odd in itself, and spoke of some problematic subjects... but perhaps the strangest point of all was who the hell sent it...

... Ah hell, the script's not gonna tell us who wrote it yet... Come on!

*sigh* Who gives a shit...

The purple-haired imposter's eyes widened. "L-Lindy!"

* * *

Frustrated, the villain kicked a nearby wall, and cursed as she rubbed her now-pained foot. Nisa's shoulders drooped in disappointment. "Not a single sign... What an elusive mouse!"

"Shit, now I'm wor-" Underling stopped herself before she could finish; why would she _ever_ be worried about the rat?

The heroine slapped the ASIC member on the back. "Perk up, Lingy! I-I know he's fine!"

Ah, and here comes the alchemist. "No rat in bathrooms either. We should give up."

"Hmm... What do you think, Underlingy?"

Linda was silent, unable to come up with an answer. _'Damn that rat... Where'd his stupid ass go?'_

"Lindy!" A voice suddenly came from nowhere, snapping the villain out of her confused thoughts. "Lindy! I found... a strange letter... It's for you..."

Underling cocked her head to the side. "A l-letter? Lemme see..." Her eyes proceeded to scan the note. The mysterious words, whatever they said, clearly had an instantaneous effect on her, and her brows furrowed. "... The rat's been kidnapped."

Nisa was (guess) shocked. "K-Kidnapped? What vile wretch would stoop to such low heights?" She looked in bewilderment at Gust, who simply shrugged.

That wasn't all the info the letter had to share, however. "Says here that he's captured by three idiots... I think that's what he means, at least... The hell? There's a rebellion going on? When the hell'd that happen? Well, the ringleaders of that have him." She looked up at her party members. "Guys... May I use your... help? Man, that sounds corny... But I need ya guys."

Gust recoiled for a moment, bothered by Underling's sudden vulnerability. The alchemist, a pro at hiding her true feelings after this year together, put on an unusual smile. "How can Gust be of service, Underling?"

The villain was earnestly surprised, her face reddening a slight bit. Before she could recuperate, the heroine jumped in as well. "I am always willing to fight for you! What is your request, Lingy?"

Even Nepgeo, despite being shaken to the core by the contents of the letter, nodded. "... Well, I can't be one-upped by Nisey or Gusty, so... command me, Lindy-baby! Tell me what to do!"

The three friends clumped around the green-haired girl, causing even more blood to flow to her cheeks. "T-Thanks, guys..." She bashfully rubbed the back of her head. "O-Okay, let's do this shit! The rat-napping bastards are hiding in some mountain range or something, near Haneda City... You all know where that is?"

Nisa and Nepgeo wore huge smiles as they exchanged a glance; they had nothing. Gust, however, was there to save the day! "Gust knows everything about Gamindustri! Leave navigation to me."

"Heh, awesome... You three need to head over there first thing in the morning. Make sure you're prepared for hell; they apparently may be leading an army."

The heroine cocked her head to the side. "Understood! But... us three? W-What about you?" She's taking this army part rather well...

In the background, Nepgeo cast her eyes to the ground.

Linda's eyes gleamed with determination. "I'm headin' to Lowee. I... have to repay my debt to someone... important..."

Gamindustri's upholder of justice wrapped her arms around both the villain and the alchemist, pulling them in for a huge hug. "Well then, we won't fail you, Underlingy! We'll storm in, get back Mr. Mouse, and return here safe and sound!"

"Yep! Gust keep Nisa and Pervert in line. Not to worry."

The ASIC member gleamed at her friends... perhaps finally letting it sink in that these three girls... were really her friends. In fact, it wouldn't be far-fetched to consider them family, would it? A warm feeling filled her like never before...

How trite.

* * *

So the plans for tomorrow were set; Nisa, Gust, and Nepgeo would walk right into the midst of the Yellow Bandana Rebellion, whilst Linda would head straight for the outskirts of Lowee. If all went well, Pirachu would be saved... along with, perhaps, someone most unexpected... What could possibly go wrong?

... However, dear little Nepgeo did not approve of the plan in the slightest; can you really fault her? Though, maybe it'd be easier to fathom if we actually saw what the hell was written on that frikkin' piece of paper! I saw an awful lot of neatly written words, but it was too far away to fully make out... Damn it!

... But regardless, the purple-haired imposter spent the majority of the day in something resembling a trance. _'Lindy... is leaving? No... C-Can't be! A-And then what? Nisey? Gusty? Will I... be alone?'_

The bonds that these four now shared... Could time break even them apart? Cruel, cruel time...

**PARADISE... LOST**

* * *

...

**THE VILLAIN AND THE IMPOSTER**

And so here we are: present day, sunset. Nisa and Gust were busy preparing for the trek ahead, whilst Linda and Nepgeo spent their precious time together.

By now, though, the villain was getting somewhat peeved at her girlfriend's negativity. "*sigh*... What IS the point then, Geo? For one, maybe two days, you'll be travellin' with Flatty and Gust, so they're not goin' anywhere. And you know me; I'll be fine."

Still, the imposter Nepgear shook her head. "N-No... I..." The girl fell silent, trying to find anything at all to say. Meekly, she reached out to grasp Underling's hand. "... Lindy... I-I'm not good with... goodbyes..."

The green-haired girl raised an eyebrow, still bothered by this change in attitude. Why, Nepgeo hadn't looked this broken since that day almost a year ago, when Arfoire had tried to mentally break down her will and soul.

Before she could speak up, the torn imposter continued.

"I've... never told you about my parents, have I? Arfoire made me say some false things about them to you all, but... I never told you the truth..."

**THE IMPOSTER**

Now Underling grew even more surprised. "Yer... parents? Guess ya haven't... Though, I never really talked about mine either." Parents just aren't important in Gamindustri, huh?

Nepgeo looked tenderly at the beautifully illuminated clouds. "I... never knew my father; Mom always said he was a horrible man who abandoned us for the military or somethin'..." A sad giggle. "She was so young when she had me, b-but she did her best, y'know? She always put my needs before hers... It makes me sick when I think of that rotten bastard using her..."

Linda was silent; all she could do was tenderly rub the girl's hand.

Fake Nepgear continued. "We moved around a lot; Mom had some top-secret job. Never told me what it was... Probably was too young to even understand..." She took Linda's hand in hers, and lightly squeezed down on it. "She was always there for me. When my first girlfriend left suddenly, she comforted me... When I had too much homework, she'd try her best to help out... And even when I just needed someone to talk to, she was on my side... I loved her."

The green-haired girl saw where this was headed. Conflicted, her rushed mind made her hold Nepgeo's hand with two hands... Neh, I doubt I could've done better.

Still, the tale went on. "Then, one day, I went to school... and when I came back, she was gone... S-She had been getting sick, b-but I-I never expected..." She turned her head away, not wanting Linda to see her tears. When she was ready, she went on. "I-I miss her so much, Lindy... B-But I-I'm such a horrible daughter! Every day... I forget more and more about her. I'm forgetting her face, forgetting her voice... Pretty soon, I may not even remember anything..."

"Geo..."

"I-I never... got to say goodbye to my own mother... After everything she went through to raise me, I never thanked her..." Feeling somewhat dizzy, the imposter rested her head upon her girlfriend's shoulder. "'G-Goodbye' is such a permanent thing... I don't think I could've said it if I had the chance... T-That's why I don't want you to leave, Lindy..."

The ASIC member's eyebrows clearly displayed how troubled she felt; what should she do? "W-Well... This isn't goodbye. I... I could never leave you, Geo... So, no need for goodbyes!"

The imposter sniffled. "Lindy... That's the problem: W-What if we never get the chance to say goodbye? Things happen so fast... One snap of the fingers, and bam! Everything's different... forever."

"... Geo, I swear to you, I'll be back... Everything'll be fine." The villain suddenly put on a smirk. "One day isn't enough to do me in! I'm a fighter, babe."

The purple-haired imposter looked straight in her girlfriend's eyes, felt the warmth they exuded... and grew a slight smile. "... L-Lindy..."

The two shared a soft peck on the lips. "... We're gonna get through this, alright? Nothin' to worry about... Heh, though, I guess we really haven't been away from each other for a single day since meeting, huh?" Feeling nostalgic, Underling gracefully kissed her girlfriend's hand. "Best year of my life, Geo... And I promise you, nothin's gonna change! Hell, way I see it, things'll only pick up from here!"

"... T-Thank you, Lindy... I love you so much."

"Heh, love ya too." And the two held each other close, eyes focused on the sinking sun.

Everything was silent for a long while; two unlikely lovers reflecting on the entirety of the past year. They wouldn't trade in those memories for the world...

* * *

Eventually, the time to head back inside arrived. "C'mon Geo, how 'bout we watch something? Any suggestions?... And not the video of Flatty!"

The imposter smirked slyly, and stroked her chin in mock-thought. "Darn, there goes my first choice... Tehe, why don't we watch the one where Najica and Lila have to look at girls' butts to see if they are Humaritts? That one's a classic."

"Heh, fine, fine... Pervert. I'll set it up, then." And Underling went back into the room, leaving Nepgeo on the balcony for a moment longer.

Her eyes stared longingly at the clouds, the sun giving them that familiar heavenly glow. For a moment, her face distorted back into the sad shape it had been all afternoon. "Mom... I can't help it... I'm scared... I'm really scared. I-I can't lose them, too... I never want to forget Lindy's, or Nisey's, or Gusty's face..." The troubled girl clenched her fist, but continued gazing up at the sky. "Mom... I'm... still a good girl, right? I will... see you again, won't I?"

...

"Geo, ya comin' in? The opening theme's about to start!"

Linda's voice pulled the imposter out of her trance, and her face transformed back to its normal, cheerful self. "Comin', Lindy~!"

**THE IMPOSTER AND THE VILLAIN: END...?**

* * *

...

**FAREWELL TO... THE LEGENDS**

And the night came to its inevitable end... The morning had dawned, and the time for departure had arrived.

Gust had procured a ship from 'business associates' for the trek to Haneda City, and Linda was going to wait for a scheduled airship(?) to Lowee, I presume.

"Leave this to us, Underlingy! I shall show those scoundrels true justice!" The heroine hollered, pulling her friend in for a huge hug. Linda lightly blushed, and hugged her back.

"I don't know what I'd do without ya, Flatty... Stay safe, okay? The only one allowed to kick yer ass is me!"

"The same goes for you, too!... Though, I'd try to word the 'ass-kicking' part a little more nicely..." A soft chuckle, and then Nisa lifted her face to look directly at the villain. "Lingy... You may not realize yet... but you're becoming a true hero, you know that? At the very least... you're my hero, and Miss Nepgeo's too! Now, go give your duty hell!"

Underling blushed, failing at hiding her smile. "... I-I'm no hero, Flatty... but thanks, heh."

The two separated, and it was the alchemist's turn next. The small girl fidgeted somewhat-shyly, until Linda spoke up. "Ah, screw it... Give me a hug, ya little runt."

A subtle smile grew on Gust's face, and she wrapped her arms around her enemy(?). "Underling can count on Gust! I will keep Perv safe... as long as she doesn't try anything funny..."

"Heh heh... I know ya got this," the villain assured, needing to crouch slightly to hug back. "And hey... take good care of Flatty too, alright? I know how she feels about you, so you better take responsibility!"

The business-savvy alchemist's face flared red with embarrassment at the off-handed comment, but she lightly nodded, making sure the heroine couldn't see. "... Gust will always take care of Nisa."

The embrace ended, and finally, Linda turned to face her girlfriend. "See ya soon, okay? It'll be over before ya know it... Once this is all done, how 'bout you show me that other anime you've been talking about. "Striking Witch"... or, something like that?"

The imposter, tears forming at her eyes, violently hugged the love of her life. "O-Of course! T-That sounds perfect!"

"Heh heh... It's a date, then." The two looked deep into each other's eyes, and finally shared a deep kiss, halting the breath of the morning air itself. Even Nisa and Gust felt the warmth, leading them to share an awkward glance. However, the heroine quickly began smiling down at her sidekick, and lovingly pat her on the head. The alchemist attempted to look annoyed, but her smile betrayed her emotions.

...

The end of the kiss not only marked the end of the gathering, but also the end of the year-long fellowship these four girls had formed. With the longest time away from each other being the few days around Christmas, this separation was clearly a monumental occurrence.

But it was only for a few days... Soon enough, everything would be back to normal...

... Right?

...

The temporary farewells out-of-the-way, not another word was uttered as the three girls boarded the ship. Linda watched as her close companions were lifted off the ground, and shot off into the morning sky. Their destination: the battlefield of the Yellow Bandana Rebellion!

"... Good luck, guys. I love ya..." Now, anxiety and excitement causing her heart to flutter, the loyal underling of ASIC sighed and began waiting for her ride to Lowee.

* * *

**FAREWELL TO... MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING**

About an hour or two had passed, and still no ship. Figures...

Bored, Linda reached into her pocket and pulled out the letter that had set this whole plan in motion. Her eyes scanned the document yet again, still in shock over what it had to say.

... H-Holy crap! I-I can read it now! Yes, finally! Answers, woo!

The document reads, and I quote:

_Dear Linda,_

_I pray that you are well, dearest Underling of our glorious organization. I know how strange this must be to hear from me after a whole year of silence, but I bring you some very important news, so hear me out! First and foremost, cute little Pirachu- he's been staying with you guys, if I'm remembering correctly?- has been kidnapped. The poor critter was out on a peaceful stroll when three duplicitous, larcenous buffoons abducted him! Those same individuals have staged a rebellion against the CPUs, and will be holed up in a mountain range northwest of Haneda City! Your friends must head there to save him..._

_But you, Linda, will not head to the rebellion; no, I need your help with something else. You must head to Iris Field, right outside of Lowee's capital. There, I will be waiting... I have figured out a way to save Magic, and free her from Arfoire's clutches forever. Together, I know this plan will succeed..._

_You must come alone, though! Only you and I can do this; no outsider must interfere! If you follow my instructions, then Magic will be yours... Trust in me, Linda! I saved you, remember? I know I've done some terrible things back in the day, but I've been working myself to the proverbial bone to repent! Please, I only wish to make it up to you and the world... With your help, I can achieve my retribution! If all goes well, I'll only need but a day or two of your time._

_If you wish to not only save your dear Magic, but also aid me in my quest for peace, then you must act fast! Leave by tomorrow morning; any later than that will be no good! Send your friends to the rebellion to save our rat friend, and we will unite to free our commander of her spiritual bindings! I know you will make the right choice._

_Sincerely,_  
_CFW Judge_

...?

Linda chuckled. "Heh, yer a mystery, Judge... I thought you didn't want anyone to say yer name? Guess this year's changed even you, huh?"

... What? WHAT!?

C-CFW Judge w-wrote that letter!? C-CFW Judge knows how to save Magic?

J-J-Judge sent Nisa, Gust, and Nepgeo right towards a battlefield!? Judge separated Linda from her new family!?

N-No! T-That can't possibly be true! I never... I-I mean, Judge couldn't have written that letter! He just... couldn't have! T-Trust me, I-I know!

So... what does this mean?

...

N-Nepgeo was right all along; something about this isn't right at all! There IS something sneaky going on!

L-Linda, no! It's a trap! LINDA! LINDA, can you hear me!? It's a complete and utter trap! Turn back NOW!

...


	14. Awakening the Chaos

**PRELUDE(?): PROGRESSOR**

_The road to hell is paved with good intentions..._

**13. THE LEGEND OF THE NARRATOR**

... She can't hear me... I'm stuck...

I'm chained to this booth, unable to contact the outside world... Man, do I feel like I've been in this situation before...

I'm just... too tired to fight back, you know? After so many chapters of pure... fluff, most of which has been depressing, I just don't have it in me anymore.

... *sigh* But there's finally nothing left... This script has reached its conclusion.

A lousy cliffhanger... All that build-up, and absolutely no pay-off... at least until the sequel, that is.

... Though, should we really be surprised? Remember the very third paragraph of this whole story? I admitted that this whole thing (longer in length than the actual story, oddly enough), was merely an expansion pack...

... I'm complaining about a script that has told the truth since the very beginning... It knows exactly what it is...

I'm... so weak... So weak and useless...

... But you know what? I'm not letting this story go without some proper conclusion. I won't let the last thing you see until the sequel arrives be me... failing.

This entire story, you've seen scattered scenes that occurred throughout a whole year in Gamindustri time... However, none of those were in real-time. Unlike Much Ado About Nothing, I was reciting events that had already happened...

Hard to believe, but I've been reading from this script for no more than a week... Heh heh, how long has it been for you, I wonder?

... Look at me, constantly speaking on and on to you dear viewers, and yet I'm still too ashamed to show my face...

...

But getting back on track... With the ending of the last two chapters, the script has finally caught up with me; the goddesses, their friends, and Nepgeo's misled group are heading towards a potential battlefield right this very second... What fate awaits them, I can't even begin to guess. I just know... it can't be good.

I don't know about you, but I still have no idea who this author is, or what they really want... Arfoire's afraid of him, though... Or, if it's really 'Cerise,' then is the author a 'her?' Guess in the scheme of things, it doesn't really matter... I'll find out soon enough, I figure.

...

... Earlier, I... wrote my own scene, remember? It wasn't really much of a scene, granted, but... back in Chapter 2, I took a short scene from the past and simply swapped Noire's and Neptune's names around, to make a point about absurdity and shit.

Well, that's been bothering me... Small as it was, I managed to write my own section of the script...

... Who's stopping me from trying the same again? Perhaps, I can try again right n-

...

...!

What? What IS this?

*Sigh* I... spoke too soon... of course... Another page just 'poofed' out of nowhere...

... Oh well, at least there's one good thing: one last page... and Much Ado About Nothing is officially over...

...

... When will I ever get to be useful?

...

I suppose I should bid you adieu right now, as I won't have any time to do so after this page is done... I guess I'll see you all in the next installment, which hopefully won't be as drab and dreary as this one was.

... Not like I have a choice, being chained down and all that...

Still, I wonder what... awaits us on the other side? I keep hearing mention of a 'historical fiction' novel that Arfoire AND the author are trying to replicate... Do you have any idea what that can entail? I'm... admittedly not much of a book person... or thing, I guess...

... Well, until the next time we formally meet, dear readers... I wish you the best. If you so choose to brave the storm that the next script will most likely be, then I pray that you will make the journey with me once again.

... So let's go! Let's venture forth into the great unknown; to the world where the future is still unwritten!

... *sigh* In the meantime, I'll try to figure a way out of these chains...

* * *

**FINALE: AWAKENING THE CHAOS**

"A-Adrian!"

"Hm?" The leader of the grand rebellion opened his eyes and looked expectantly at his timid brother. "What is it this time?"

Almaz was already sweating up a storm. "A-A-Airships are approaching! T-They are clearly visible on the horizon!"

Rei, standing tall beside the boy, nodded her head rapidly. "They mmmmmmmust be coming for us! W-We're not safe here, Master Adrian!"

Alex, sitting on the cold, hard ground of the cave they were all currently residing in, took a bite out of a sandwich. "We're cornered, it seems... Nowhere to run. Some help Jade was..."

Morale was at an all-time low...

... Not for long, though...

Adrian stood from his makeshift throne, holding the 'Crucial Codes' firmly in his hands, and walked to the cave entrance. "... We're not dead yet. If the goddesses want to silence us, they're gonna have to go through hell first..." The leader looked at his close allies and nodded. "C'mon, let's do this. Stand with me."

Almaz and Rei shared a conflicted glance. "W-What exactly are we gonna do, A-Adrian?"

Now outside, the ringleader of this whole conflict looked down the mountain range, where an army of fanatics stood ready. From there, his gaze traveled back up to the horizon, where several massive airships could indeed be seen approaching... Huh, more than one? Oh dear... Did S.R.A.T.S. bring an entire freaking army!? "We vowed to destroy the goddesses, remember? Well, now's a better time than any."

This was not exactly welcome news. "What? But... we're not ready yet! And look at those ships... Think of all the soldiers out for our heads! There could be hundreds, THOUSANDS of 'em!" Good to see Almaz standing up against his brother finally... Too bad it was a futile effort.

"We have thousands of supporters as well, and something they can't even anticipate: 'The Crucial Codes,'" Adrian sneered. The other three tensed up, realizing exactly where this was headed.

The Yellow Bandanas would stubbornly cling to life, all to support a CPU that never truly existed. It'd be a fight to the death.

Almaz and Rei were, understandably, horrified. Alex, however, was now impartial to everything. "Eh, if you say so... Could be fun to see how many people I can toss off the mountain."

"IF they even make it to the mountain," the leader chuckled. From his pocket, he pulled out his own yellow bandana, and clutched it in his left hand. "They want to start a war, they're getting one!"

Adrian raised his left fist high in the air, his followers down below cheering at the sight.

"I'm... scared..." Almaz cried, clutching Rei's arm for dear life.

"... I-I am too... But w-we can't give up now!" the glasses-wearing girl earnestly proclaimed. "W-W-We're a team! We can... We can d-do this!"

The timid brother smiled meekly, but his nerves didn't calm down in the slightest. Hell, Rei couldn't even convince herself that everything was going to be alright.

Alex, meanwhile, simply shrugged. "So whaddo we do?"

The leader of the band of brothers stared intently at the impending ships. "You're all to man battle positions on the strategic locales around the mountain range..." His lips contorted into a devilish smirk. "... in case there are any survivors."

The three nodded, two doing so reluctantly. They quickly made for their belongings, gathering anything that would help them fight an entire army off. Almaz and Alex made sure to grab their orbs; magic would be a must. Poor Rei, however, was never given any such power, but she wasn't about to speak up against her idol.

Adrian's eyes narrowed with sick determination, and he expertly opened up the magic tome to a desired page. "Now then... I hope you're all ready, because..." A deep breath; once he used this code, there really would be no turning back.

...

The boy thought back on everything he had ever been through: waking up to meet Neptune; failing miserably at winning her heart at both the game expo AND the twisted school universe; meeting up with his remaining brothers and starting with nothing; getting the tome from their 'mother'... and then eventually disowning her; meeting Jade, and becoming 'allies' with Avenir; Le Ciel becoming a complete fanatic, killing that guard Watwintails in the process... and then being put down just a short while ago...

... And he thought of Isara, the poor little girl who never stood a chance... Because of the goddesses' futility... she was gone, along with her whole village. He thought and thought and thought about Isara...

...

... He had made his decision. One last breath, and the brown-haired young man entered in a potentially devastating cheat. "... I'm about to make it rain!"

...

Above the airships, dark clouds began to form... T-Those aren't normal rain clouds...

Soon, the sky was overtaken by an ominous black color... but the ships continued on, ignorant of the danger looming overhead...

Darker and darker clouds pulled in... Dark... So dark... All-consuming darkness...

...

... They were in for one hell of a storm.

* * *

_**These tales, long forgotten in the flows of time, are about the legends of which no one can recall...**_

_**So ends...**_

_**Much Ado About Nothing: Xtreme**_** Legends**

...

**THE SAGA CONCLUDES in...**

_**All's Well That Ends Well**_

* * *

**Go Love and Peace!...?**


End file.
